CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (Interstat) — The Virginia Cavaliers used a dominant first-half offensive display to set the tone and cruised to an 84-60 victory over the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks in a nonconference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at John Paul Jones Arena.

A crowd of 11,117 saw the Cavaliers improve to 9-1 on the season, while the Hawks fell to 4-9.

The most important part of the game was Virginia’s immediate and sustained offensive barrage in the opening period, which effectively decided the contest before halftime. The Cavaliers shot with precision and shared the ball expertly, building a lead that the Hawks could never seriously threaten.

Virginia seized control from the opening tip. Sam Lewis, a 6-foot-7 forward from Chicago, hit a 3-pointer on the game’s first possession, and fellow starter Dallin Hall followed with another triple just seconds later. This sparked a half where Virginia consistently found and made open shots, particularly from beyond the arc. The Cavaliers led 46-32 at the break after shooting 53% from the floor in the first half, including 7 of 15 from 3-point range.

The Hawks, who have faced a rigorous early-season road schedule, struggled to match Virginia’s offensive execution. While they managed 36 points in the paint for the game, they were hampered by 17 turnovers, which Virginia converted into 17 points. Maryland-Eastern Shore was led by Jaden Cooper, who scored nine points, and Joseph Locandro, who added nine points and a block.

Virginia’s depth and balanced scoring were overwhelming. Lewis finished with a team-high 15 points in 27 minutes. Chance Mallory, a 5-foot-10 guard from Charlottesville, orchestrated the offense with five assists and added 10 points, often catalyzing runs with his playmaking and defensive activity. Thijs De Ridder, a 6-foot-9 forward from Antwerp, Belgium, provided efficient interior scoring with 13 points.

The Cavaliers’ defensive length also posed problems, tallying eight blocks as a team. Seven-foot center Johann Gruenloh of Germany anchored that effort with four blocks and eight points.

After intermission, Virginia maintained its comfortable margin. The Hawks never cut the deficit below 14 points in the second half, as the Cavaliers methodically extended their lead, which ballooned to as many as 26 points before both teams emptied their benches in the final minutes.

Virginia finished the game shooting 50% from the field and held a 32-26 advantage in rebounding. The Hawks shot 38% overall and were just 4 of 20 from 3-point range.

For Maryland-Eastern Shore, the loss continues a challenging stretch against high-major opponents. The Hawks will continue their road swing at North Carolina A&T on Friday. Virginia, which entered the game as a heavy favorite according to sportsbooks and statistical projections, will next host Maryland on Dec. 20 in a key early-season ACC matchup.

The game’s tempo and outcome were largely dictated by Virginia’s sharp-shooting start, which buried the Hawks early and allowed the Cavaliers to play with a lead for over 39 minutes of the contest.