#11 UVa. (23-5, 14-1 ACC) continues its three-game homestand against Miami (14-13, 5-9 ACC) on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena (14,593) is set for 7 p.m.
Broadcast Information
The Virginia-Miami game will be televised by Regional Sports Networks and online at ESPN3.com. The game will be broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network and Sirius (Channel 85) and XM (Channel 85) satellite radio stations. Live statistics are located on VirginiaSports.com, as well as the Virginia Sports app, which is available free of charge through iTunes. Fans can also follow the game via Twitter at @UVaMensHoops.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the Virginia-Miami game may be purchased online at VirginiaSports.com/tickets. Fans may also purchase tickets through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office by telephone and in person. The ticket office is located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-8821. Tickets may also be purchased on game day at the JPJ box office starting at 5:30 p.m.
For Openers
• Virginia has won 11 straight games and meets Miami for the lone regular-season game between the teams.
• Virginia ranks No. 1 nationally in scoring defense at 55.3 ppg.
• Virginia’s 14-1 ACC record is a program-best, surpassing the 13-1 league record in 1980-81.
• UVa’s 23-5 record is its best through 28 games since 1982-83 (25-3).
• As of Feb. 25, Virginia is first in the ACC at 14-1 and Miami is 10th at 5-9.
A Win vs. Miami Would…
• Extend Virginia’s school-record ACC win total to 15 games.
• Clinch a top-two seed in the ACC Tournament.
• Give Virginia its first 12-game ACC winning streak since 1981-82.
• Give Virginia its first 12-game winning streak since 2011-12.
• Give Tony Bennett his 100th career win at Virginia.
• Set a school record of 17 straight home ACC wins (16 straight home wins from 1980-82).
• Give Virginia 24 wins for the first time since winning 25 in 1994-95.
• Give Virginia a record of 19 games above .500 for the first time since 1982-83.
• Increase UVa’s win total in each of the last five seasons (15 in 2009-10, 16 in 2010-11, 22 in 2011-12 and 23 in 2012-13).
All-Time vs. Miami
• Virginia is 5-10 all-time vs. Miami in the series that dates back to 1965-66.
• The Cavaliers meet the Hurricanes for the first time since losing 54-50 to then-No. 2 Miami in Coral Gables on Feb. 19, 2013.
• The Cavaliers are 4-3, including a three-game winning streak, against the Hurricanes in Charlottesville.
• UVa is 3-1 against Miami at John Paul Jones Arena.
• Head coach Tony Bennett is 2-4 all-time against Miami.
Last Time vs. the Hurricanes
• Reggie Johnson made a tie-breaking layup with 5.7 seconds left, to lift then-No. 2 Miami to a 54-50 win over Virginia on Feb. 19, 2013.
• Durand Scott added two clinching free throws with four seconds to go to give the Hurricanes their 14th consecutive victory.
• The Cavaliers led only once, at 29-28, but Evan Nolte tied the game at 50 by sinking a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.
• Miami held the Cavaliers to 39-percent shooting and blocked seven shots.
• Shane Larkin had 11 points and six assists, and Rion Brown added 10 points off the bench for Miami.
• Joe Harris had 16 points and seven rebounds, and Akil Mitchell added six points and eight rebounds for UVa.
Virginia in the Polls
• Virginia is ranked No. 12 in the latest AP poll, marking its highest ranking since a No. 10 ranking on Feb. 4, 2002.
• No. 12/11 UVa is ranked for the fourth straight week after not being ranked for 11 straight weeks.
• Virginia’s No. 24 preseason AP ranking marked its first since being ranked No. 11 to start the 2001-02 season.
• The Cavaliers returned to the rankings this season for the first time since Feb. 27, 2012.
Last Time Out
• Akil Mitchell and Anthony Gill both had 15 points as Virginia used a 30-2 second-half run to defeat Notre Dame 70-49 Saturday.
• UVa held a 48-43 lead when Justin Anderson blocked Zach Auguste’s dunk attempt, sending the Cavaliers on a fast break that Gill finished with a two-hand dunk.
• Pat Connaughton led the Fighting Irish with 11 points.
• Brogdon added 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists for UVa, which shot a season-high 63.6 percent (28-of-44) from the field.
About the Cavaliers
Virginia has won 14 of its last 15 games and looks to win its 12th straight overall. A win against Miami would extend Virginia’s school-record ACC win total to 15 games.
The Cavaliers’ success has been highlighted by their top-ranked defense, rebounding and balanced scoring. The Cavaliers are yielding 55.3 points per game and grabbing 54.7 percent of the rebounds, ruling the glass in 21 of 28 games. UVa also ranks eighth in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 38.6 percent.
Virginia is averaging 65.9 points per game, marking its highest total under head coach Tony Bennett. Virginia is averaging 23.3 bench points and has scored 44.1 percent of its points in the paint.
UVa sports a balanced scoring attack, led by Malcolm Brogdon and All-ACC performer Joe Harris. Brogdon leads the team at 12.3 points per game, while Harris is second at 11.5 ppg. Brogdon has a career-best 15-game double figures scoring streak. He ranks first in the ACC in free throw percentage (87.7%), fourth in field goal percentage (45.5%) and 11th in scoring (14.7 ppg) during league play.
Versatile guard Justin Anderson, who had a game-changing blocked shot against Notre Dame, has recorded 8.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Anthony Gill, who had 15 points against the Fighting Irish, has registered 7.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Mike Tobey had a career-high four blocked shots vs. Notre Dame and has chipped in 7.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Akil Mitchell had a season-high 15 points against the Fighting Irish and leads the team in rebounding at 6.8 per game. Freshman point guard London Perrantes ranks first in ACC action in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.17) and sixth in assists (4.13 apg).
Up Next
Virginia hosts No. 4 Syracuse on Saturday, March 1. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 4 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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