Augusta Free Press editor Chris Graham leads our live coverage as #5 Virginia (9-1) hosts Cal (9-2) Tuesday night at 9 p.m.
Broadcast Information
- The Virginia-California game will be televised on ESPN2, streamed online at WatchESPN.com and broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network, ESPN Radio, VirginiaSports.com and Virginia Athletics mobile app on iTunes or Android.
- Live statistics will be located on VirginiaSports.com and the Virginia Sports app.
Virginia Cavaliers News and Notes
- Virginia is averaging 77.3 points per game, its most since 79.6 ppg in 2001-02.
- UVA ranks No. 1 overall in the KenPom.com overall and adjusted offensive efficiency ratings.
- UVA is shooting 51.5 percent from the field (best since 52.3% in 1982-83), 40.5 percent from 3-point range (best in school history) and 76.4 percent from the free throw line (best in school history).
- Virginia has scored 80 or more points in six games, its most under Tony Bennett and most since 11 in 2007-08.
- UVA’s 86 points against Villanova were its most scored against a top-25 opponent since tallying 87 in a road win at Minnesota in 2010-11.
- UVA has shot 55 percent or better in five games in 2015-16 after achieving the feat three times in 34 games in 2014-15 and four times in 37 games in 2013-14.
- The Cavaliers are tied for 14th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.77), tied for 16th in scoring margin (18.4) and tied for 17th in turnover margin (4.3).
- The Cavaliers scored 82 or more points in three straight games (Nov. 19-22 at Charleston Classic) for the first time since the first three games of the 2001-02 season.
Game Preview: Get to know Cal
Fifth-ranked Virginia faces Cal from the Pac-12 on Tuesday night in a late game – a rare 9 p.m. start.
The Golden Bears (9-2) in some ways resemble UVA’s most recent opponent, Villanova, in employing a four-guard lineup.
What’s different is the top-level talent that coach Cuonzo Martin puts on the floor. Freshmen Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb are both projected top-five picks in next year’s NBA Draft, assuming that they would go the one-and-done route.
And neither is the team’s leading scorer. That honor goes to senior point guard Tyrone Wallace, who averages 16.8 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and a team-leading 4.8 assists per game.
Brown’s numbers are actually a bit pedestrian considering his prodigious skill set – 13.9 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game, 41.1 percent shooting from the field, 26.5 percent shooting from three and 61.8 percent shooting from the foul line.
Rabb, a 6’10” center, averages 12.7 points and 8.5 rebounds and is shooting 66.3 percent from the field and 75.6 percent from the line.
The Bears, like ‘Nova, shoot a lot of shots from behind the three-point arc – 42.6 percent of Cal’s field-goal attempts are threes. They don’t shoot them all that well – 33.0 percent through 11 games.
Defense has been a challenge some nights: Cal ranks 68th nationally, according to KenPom.com, in defensive efficiency, allowing .976 points per possession.
Cal: Other players to watch
- Jordan Matthews scores 12.0 points per game and is shooting a team-best 37.9 percent from three-point range.
- Jabari Bird has started six games, but has settled into the role of sixth man of late, adding punch (9.8 points per game) off the bench.
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