No. 3 Virginia (18-1, 6-1) at No. 23 N.C. State (16-4, 4-3), 7 p.m. ESPN2
Before Notre Dame knew what hit it, Virginia was up 12-0 with 13:51 left in the first half Saturday. The Cavaliers cruised to another ACC road victory, 82-55, thoroughly trouncing the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame cut the lead to 12 early in the second half, but UVa responded by eventually getting the lead back to 25 and beyond.
For the second straight game, Virginia had five players in double figures, the first time that's happened in back-to-back contests since 2001. De'Andre Hunter led the 'Hoos with 19 points, and Kyle Guy had 15, all in the first half. Ty Jerome finished with 13 points, Kihei Clark scored 12 points, and the good version of Mamadi Diakite showed up with 10 points, seven boards, and four blocks.
It was simply a dominating win that shows the ability of this team to just go in an arena and rip the soul out of its foe. Coach Mike Brey said it best after the game: "I mean, that's men vs. boys. Flat out. Certainly very impressed with Virginia. And they kind of took our spirit. ... They can win the national
championship. They are men that have won together and are polished. And we are the exact opposite right now. ... So that was a perfect storm today that hit us right between the eyes."
Now, Virginia remains on the road and heads to N.C. State, where the Wolfpack figure to give the Wahoos a tougher time than the Fighting Irish did. Here's State's profile so far in 2018-19:
Scorers in double figures: Senior guard Torin Dorn (14.3), junior guard CJ Bryce (12.5), junior guard Markell Johnson (11.8), sophomore guard Devon Daniels (10.3)
Leading rebounders: Dorn (6.9), Bryce (5.3), Daniels (4.9), sophomore forward DJ Funderburk (4.3), senior forward Wyatt Walker (4.3)
Assist leaders: Johnson (4), sophomore guard Braxton Beverly (3.1)
Notable: Ten players average double-figure minutes. Beverly averages 9.7 points and Funderburk 8.8. Bryce records 1.5 steals per game. Dorn averages 1.2 steals, and Johnson, Daniels, and Beverly about one each. Funderburk and Walker block one shot per game.
Best win: No. 7 Auburn at home, 78-71, on Dec. 19
Worst win: Mercer at home, 78-74, in November. The Bears are 8-13.
Other wins: Mount St. Mary's, Maryland-Eastern Shore, UNC Asheville, Maine, Saint Peter's, Vanderbilt, Western Carolina, Penn State, South Carolina Upstate, Loyola Maryland, Miami, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Clemson
Best loss: At No. 22 Wisconsin, 79-75, on Nov. 28
Worst loss: At Wake Forest, 71-67, on Jan. 15. the Demon Deacons are 8-11.
Other losses: North Carolina, Louisville
What N.C. State does well: The Wolfpack is definitely one of Virginia's stronger opponents so far this season. State scores a lot, 85.3 ppg (10th) and shoots well from the field, 49.1 percent (18th), from
beyond the arc, 38.4 percent (28th), and solid but not spectacularly from the line, 70.8 percent (154th). The team moves the ball well, recording 17.1 assists per game (19th) with a +1.21 assist-turnover ratio (69th). The Wolfpack is strong on the glass as well, owning a +7.7 rebounding margin (11th). State is no slouch defensively, holding opponents to 69.5 ppg (tied, 129th), 29.1 percent on 3s (16th), and 43.3 percent on all field goals (156th). It also tallies 7.6 steals per game (tied, 70th).
What N.C. State doesn't do well: The Wolfpack do turn the ball over some at 13.9 times per contest (tied, 227th). State also is called for lots of fouls, 405 (tied, 290th), and doesn't get to the line much itself with 370 attempts (tied, 235th)
N.C. State's numbers are as impressive as Virginia Tech's and even Duke's in some regards, and the Wolfpack shoots better on 3s and free throws than Duke. State does not host Duke this year but does go to Cameron on Feb. 16. N.C. State beat the then-No. 2 Blue Devils by 11 in Raleigh last season. N.C. State is starting a huge stretch right now that could define its season. After UVa, State's next five games are vs. Virginia Tech, at UNC (Wolfpack lost at home to UNC already, 90-82), at much-improved Pitt, vs. Syracuse, and at Duke. If N.C. State can get two wins out of there, it should celebrate, three, and it should be ecstatic.
The Wolfpack's top 3-point shooters are Johnson (46.4 percent), Bryce (45.5), and Beverly (38.5), but it did not shoot well from beyond the arc last season in these teams' only meeting. UVa won, 68-51, in Charlottesville. Devon Hall had a career-high 25 points, Kyle Guy had 17, and Isaiah Wilkins scored 10. State made 2 of its 16 3-point attempts, and Dorn (16) was the only player in double figures.
N.C. State likes to get up and down the floor, so I'm sure it will push the issue with Virginia and hope to create some turnovers, which is of course much easier said than done with the 'Hoos, who have recorded the fewest turnovers in the country. I think this will be a tough game, and N.C. State will definitely be ready to make some noise and try to make a move into the top third of the conference. But the Wolfpack did lose to Wake Forest and beat Clemson (after being down 67-61 with 26 seconds left) and Notre Dame by just single digits. UVa crushed all of those teams by 20-plus points, so I like UVa to be in a tough battle, but pull it out in the end.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 5-10 points.
Before Notre Dame knew what hit it, Virginia was up 12-0 with 13:51 left in the first half Saturday. The Cavaliers cruised to another ACC road victory, 82-55, thoroughly trouncing the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame cut the lead to 12 early in the second half, but UVa responded by eventually getting the lead back to 25 and beyond.
For the second straight game, Virginia had five players in double figures, the first time that's happened in back-to-back contests since 2001. De'Andre Hunter led the 'Hoos with 19 points, and Kyle Guy had 15, all in the first half. Ty Jerome finished with 13 points, Kihei Clark scored 12 points, and the good version of Mamadi Diakite showed up with 10 points, seven boards, and four blocks.
It was simply a dominating win that shows the ability of this team to just go in an arena and rip the soul out of its foe. Coach Mike Brey said it best after the game: "I mean, that's men vs. boys. Flat out. Certainly very impressed with Virginia. And they kind of took our spirit. ... They can win the national
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| De'Andre Hunter led Virginia with 19 points at Notre Dame. |
Now, Virginia remains on the road and heads to N.C. State, where the Wolfpack figure to give the Wahoos a tougher time than the Fighting Irish did. Here's State's profile so far in 2018-19:
Scorers in double figures: Senior guard Torin Dorn (14.3), junior guard CJ Bryce (12.5), junior guard Markell Johnson (11.8), sophomore guard Devon Daniels (10.3)
Leading rebounders: Dorn (6.9), Bryce (5.3), Daniels (4.9), sophomore forward DJ Funderburk (4.3), senior forward Wyatt Walker (4.3)
Assist leaders: Johnson (4), sophomore guard Braxton Beverly (3.1)
Notable: Ten players average double-figure minutes. Beverly averages 9.7 points and Funderburk 8.8. Bryce records 1.5 steals per game. Dorn averages 1.2 steals, and Johnson, Daniels, and Beverly about one each. Funderburk and Walker block one shot per game.
Best win: No. 7 Auburn at home, 78-71, on Dec. 19
Worst win: Mercer at home, 78-74, in November. The Bears are 8-13.
Other wins: Mount St. Mary's, Maryland-Eastern Shore, UNC Asheville, Maine, Saint Peter's, Vanderbilt, Western Carolina, Penn State, South Carolina Upstate, Loyola Maryland, Miami, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Clemson
Best loss: At No. 22 Wisconsin, 79-75, on Nov. 28
Worst loss: At Wake Forest, 71-67, on Jan. 15. the Demon Deacons are 8-11.
Other losses: North Carolina, Louisville
What N.C. State does well: The Wolfpack is definitely one of Virginia's stronger opponents so far this season. State scores a lot, 85.3 ppg (10th) and shoots well from the field, 49.1 percent (18th), from
What N.C. State doesn't do well: The Wolfpack do turn the ball over some at 13.9 times per contest (tied, 227th). State also is called for lots of fouls, 405 (tied, 290th), and doesn't get to the line much itself with 370 attempts (tied, 235th)
N.C. State's numbers are as impressive as Virginia Tech's and even Duke's in some regards, and the Wolfpack shoots better on 3s and free throws than Duke. State does not host Duke this year but does go to Cameron on Feb. 16. N.C. State beat the then-No. 2 Blue Devils by 11 in Raleigh last season. N.C. State is starting a huge stretch right now that could define its season. After UVa, State's next five games are vs. Virginia Tech, at UNC (Wolfpack lost at home to UNC already, 90-82), at much-improved Pitt, vs. Syracuse, and at Duke. If N.C. State can get two wins out of there, it should celebrate, three, and it should be ecstatic.
The Wolfpack's top 3-point shooters are Johnson (46.4 percent), Bryce (45.5), and Beverly (38.5), but it did not shoot well from beyond the arc last season in these teams' only meeting. UVa won, 68-51, in Charlottesville. Devon Hall had a career-high 25 points, Kyle Guy had 17, and Isaiah Wilkins scored 10. State made 2 of its 16 3-point attempts, and Dorn (16) was the only player in double figures.
N.C. State likes to get up and down the floor, so I'm sure it will push the issue with Virginia and hope to create some turnovers, which is of course much easier said than done with the 'Hoos, who have recorded the fewest turnovers in the country. I think this will be a tough game, and N.C. State will definitely be ready to make some noise and try to make a move into the top third of the conference. But the Wolfpack did lose to Wake Forest and beat Clemson (after being down 67-61 with 26 seconds left) and Notre Dame by just single digits. UVa crushed all of those teams by 20-plus points, so I like UVa to be in a tough battle, but pull it out in the end.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 5-10 points.
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