BOSTON — Malcolm Brogdon scored 20 points, Anthony Gill had 11 points and 10 rebounds and No. 2 Virginia pulled away in the second half for a 66-51 victory over Boston College on Saturday.
The unbeaten Cavaliers (17-0, 5-0 ACC) continued their best start since the Ralph Sampson-led 1980-81 team won its first 23 games.
Olivier Hanlan scored 18 points with six assists, and Patrick Heckmann had 15 points to lead Boston College (8-8, 0-4).
Virginia has won its first five ACC games for the first time since 1980-81.
Trailing 38-33 early in the second half, the Cavaliers tightened up the nation’s best defense and answered by scoring the next 10 points. Isaiah Wilkins nailed a pair of jumpers from the right wing during the stretch.
After the teams traded points, Justin Anderson’s three free throws made it 49-42 with just under seven minutes to play, making it the first time either team led by more than two possessions.
London Perrantes’ consecutive baskets — the first a 3-pointer from the wing — gave them a comfortable 58-48 lead with just over four minutes left.
Virginia coasted the rest of the way.
Boston College had opened the second half by outscoring Virginia 14-6, turning a three-point deficit at 27-24 to a 38-33 lead on Hanlan’s driving basket in the lane. Heckmann scored nine of the points in the spree, hitting a 3-pointer and driving past defenders on each of the other three baskets.
Neither team held more than a one-possession lead in a tightly defended opening half. The teams went up in down the floor, playing right past the first and second TV time-outs until there was a whistle with just over 11 minutes to play.
BC seemed intent on concentrating on defense, trying to match UVA, which entered the game allowing 50.6 points, the fewest in the nation.
The Cavaliers used their size to grab a handful of offensive rebounds late in the half, but BC stayed close thanks to a couple of timely 3-pointers.
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