Georgia Tech at No. 1 Virginia, 7 p.m. ESPN2
Ladies and gentlemen, De'Andre Hunter. The Cavaliers bounced back after losing to Virginia Tech and won as the No. 1 team in the country last Tuesday, defeating Miami, 59-50, with the redshirt freshman leading the way with 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 3 of 6 on 3-pointers. He added three rebounds, a block, and a steal to his ledger. When Miami switched to a zone, he was a menace at the top of the paint. He is so versatile from there. He can shoot the jumper, drive to the lane, and try to find the next open man. And based on his stat line, he has no issue stepping out beyond the arc. After a slow start on 3-pointers, he is up to 32.6 percent and has made 6 of his past 9 attempts going back to the game at Syracuse.
Kyle Guy scored 13 points and made 2 of his 5 3s to go along with three assists, a rebound, and a
steal. Ty Jerome had six points, seven assists, and two rebounds. Isaiah Wilkins had six points and six rebounds. Devon Hall had five points with three rebounds, two steals, an assist, and a block.
The past week, the players got a nice layoff and have hopefully been able to recharge themselves for the stretch run of the regular season. After tonight's game against the Yellow Jackets, UVa travels to Pittsburgh on Saturday, Louisville on March 1, and finishes by hosting Notre Dame on March 3.
Virginia defeated Georgia Tech, 64-48, on Jan. 18. Hunter led the team with 17 points in that victory while Jerome had 12, Guy and Hall 11 each, and Wilkins nine. Georgia Tech was paced by 14 points from Tadric Jackson and nine from Josh Okogie. Freshman guards Curtis Haywood and Jose Alvarado, who are both out with injuries, had nine and four points, respectively. It will probably be a struggle for Georgia Tech to score. If UVa comes out fresh and knocks the rust off, it should really have no issue winning this game.
I usually do a report on opponents, but for this one, I'm going to check in on the Wahoos' numbers and profile:
Record: 24-2, 13-1 ACC
Scorers in double digits: Guy (15.2), Hall (12.2)
Leading rebounders: Wilkins (6.6), Hall (4.2), junior center Jack Salt (3.9)
Assist leaders: Jerome (3.8), Hall (3)
Notable: Jerome averages 9.7 points, Hunter 8.9, Wilkins 5.9, Nigel Johnson 5.1, Mamadi Diakite 4.9, and Salt 3.3. Jerome (1.5), Wilkins (1.3), Guy (1.2), Johnson (0.9), and Hall (0.8) all average around a steal per game. Wilkins averages 1.5 blocks.
Best win: at then-No. 4 Duke, 65-63.
Worst win: Given how the season has progressed, and even though Boston College is better, only beating the Eagles 59-58 in Charlottesville to open ACC play is surprising.
Other wins: UNC Greensboro, Austin Peay, VCU, Monmouth, Vanderbilt, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Lehigh, Davidson, Savannah State, Hampton, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Syracuse (twice), N.C.
State, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Clemson, Louisville, Florida State, Miami
Losses: at West Virginia, vs. Virginia Tech
What Virginia does well: We know all about the defense. The Cavaliers are giving up just 52.7 ppg, first in the country. Cincinnati is in second at 57.1, almost 5 ppg more. Virginia also allows opponents to shoot just 37.7 percent (third) and 29.7 percent on 3-pointers (fifth). Despite its slow pace, UVa records 7.2 steals per game (tied-75th). UVa owns a +4.8 turnover margin (eighth) and only turns the ball over nine times per game, the best mark in the nation. Virginia's field goal percentage has fallen off somewhat, but is still decent at 46 percent (112th). The Cavaliers excel on 3-pointers, 38.1 percent (52nd), and at free throw shooting, 76.9 percent (23rd). UVa also has only been called for 358 fouls, fewest in the nation.
What Virginia doesn't do well: Rebounding is still somewhat of an issue. The Cavaliers are just +1.8 on the boards (149th). And they don't foul, but they don't get to the free throw line, either, shooting just 337 foul shots, 349th in the nation (out of 351).
UVa is still listed as the No. 1 overall seed if the NCAA tournament started today, quite an accomplishment for a team not ranked in the top 25 to begin the year and one that was picked to finish sixth in the ACC.
Tonight, if they win, the Wahoos will clinch an ACC regular-season title for the third time in the past five seasons. If Virginia keeps knocking, more and more doors will open. Tony Bennett has accomplished so much in nine seasons in Charlottesville. There's still more work to be done, too.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 10-15 points.
Ladies and gentlemen, De'Andre Hunter. The Cavaliers bounced back after losing to Virginia Tech and won as the No. 1 team in the country last Tuesday, defeating Miami, 59-50, with the redshirt freshman leading the way with 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 3 of 6 on 3-pointers. He added three rebounds, a block, and a steal to his ledger. When Miami switched to a zone, he was a menace at the top of the paint. He is so versatile from there. He can shoot the jumper, drive to the lane, and try to find the next open man. And based on his stat line, he has no issue stepping out beyond the arc. After a slow start on 3-pointers, he is up to 32.6 percent and has made 6 of his past 9 attempts going back to the game at Syracuse.
Kyle Guy scored 13 points and made 2 of his 5 3s to go along with three assists, a rebound, and a
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| De'Andre Hunter's highlights at Miami included posterizing two Miami players and a four-point play after he made a 3, was fouled, then made the free throw. |
The past week, the players got a nice layoff and have hopefully been able to recharge themselves for the stretch run of the regular season. After tonight's game against the Yellow Jackets, UVa travels to Pittsburgh on Saturday, Louisville on March 1, and finishes by hosting Notre Dame on March 3.
Virginia defeated Georgia Tech, 64-48, on Jan. 18. Hunter led the team with 17 points in that victory while Jerome had 12, Guy and Hall 11 each, and Wilkins nine. Georgia Tech was paced by 14 points from Tadric Jackson and nine from Josh Okogie. Freshman guards Curtis Haywood and Jose Alvarado, who are both out with injuries, had nine and four points, respectively. It will probably be a struggle for Georgia Tech to score. If UVa comes out fresh and knocks the rust off, it should really have no issue winning this game.
I usually do a report on opponents, but for this one, I'm going to check in on the Wahoos' numbers and profile:
Record: 24-2, 13-1 ACC
Scorers in double digits: Guy (15.2), Hall (12.2)
Leading rebounders: Wilkins (6.6), Hall (4.2), junior center Jack Salt (3.9)
Assist leaders: Jerome (3.8), Hall (3)
Notable: Jerome averages 9.7 points, Hunter 8.9, Wilkins 5.9, Nigel Johnson 5.1, Mamadi Diakite 4.9, and Salt 3.3. Jerome (1.5), Wilkins (1.3), Guy (1.2), Johnson (0.9), and Hall (0.8) all average around a steal per game. Wilkins averages 1.5 blocks.
Best win: at then-No. 4 Duke, 65-63.
Worst win: Given how the season has progressed, and even though Boston College is better, only beating the Eagles 59-58 in Charlottesville to open ACC play is surprising.
Other wins: UNC Greensboro, Austin Peay, VCU, Monmouth, Vanderbilt, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Lehigh, Davidson, Savannah State, Hampton, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Syracuse (twice), N.C.
Losses: at West Virginia, vs. Virginia Tech
What Virginia does well: We know all about the defense. The Cavaliers are giving up just 52.7 ppg, first in the country. Cincinnati is in second at 57.1, almost 5 ppg more. Virginia also allows opponents to shoot just 37.7 percent (third) and 29.7 percent on 3-pointers (fifth). Despite its slow pace, UVa records 7.2 steals per game (tied-75th). UVa owns a +4.8 turnover margin (eighth) and only turns the ball over nine times per game, the best mark in the nation. Virginia's field goal percentage has fallen off somewhat, but is still decent at 46 percent (112th). The Cavaliers excel on 3-pointers, 38.1 percent (52nd), and at free throw shooting, 76.9 percent (23rd). UVa also has only been called for 358 fouls, fewest in the nation.
What Virginia doesn't do well: Rebounding is still somewhat of an issue. The Cavaliers are just +1.8 on the boards (149th). And they don't foul, but they don't get to the free throw line, either, shooting just 337 foul shots, 349th in the nation (out of 351).
UVa is still listed as the No. 1 overall seed if the NCAA tournament started today, quite an accomplishment for a team not ranked in the top 25 to begin the year and one that was picked to finish sixth in the ACC.
Tonight, if they win, the Wahoos will clinch an ACC regular-season title for the third time in the past five seasons. If Virginia keeps knocking, more and more doors will open. Tony Bennett has accomplished so much in nine seasons in Charlottesville. There's still more work to be done, too.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 10-15 points.
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