CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (Interstat) — Virginia held off a second-half surge from Wake Forest to earn a 75-70 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball Tuesday night at John Paul Jones Arena.

The Cavaliers led 32-24 at halftime before the Demon Deacons’ offense awakened. Wake Forest guard Mekhi Mason scored a game-high 26 points, including 16 in the second half, to fuel the comeback attempt. Juke Harris added 21 points for the Demon Deacons.

Virginia countered with a balanced attack, placing five scorers in double figures, led by Thijs De Ridder’s 16 points. The Cavaliers improved to 26-4 overall, while Wake Forest moved to 15-15. An announced crowd of 12,948 attended.