Live Blog: #6 UVA hosts Ohio State in ACC-Big Ten Challenge

AFP editor Chris Graham leads our live blog as #6 UVA (6-0) hosts Ohio State (6-0) in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge Wednesday at 9:15 p.m.

Broadcast Information

• The Virginia-Ohio State game will be televised on ESPN2, streamed online on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network, VirginiaSports.com and Virginia Athletics mobile app on iTunes or Android.
• Live statistics will be located on VirginiaSports.com and the Virginia Sports app.

Game Notes: UVA

• Virginia meets Ohio State for the second straight season in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as the Cavaliers defeated the Buckeyes 64-58 in the 2015 Challenge in Columbus.
• The Cavaliers rank first in the nation in scoring defense at 41.3 points per game and has held each of its six opponents to 52 or fewer points.
• UVA is 1-0 against the Big Ten in 2016-17, defeating Iowa 74-41 at the Emerald Coast Classic in Florida on Nov. 25.
• UVA captured the Emerald Coast Classic championship on Nov. 26 for its fourth straight regular-season tournament championship (2013 Corpus Christi, 2014 Barclays Center and 2015 Charleston).
• Tournament MVP London Perrantes tallied 11 points, a career-high eight rebounds and five assists to lead then-No. 7 Virginia to a 63-52 win over Providence in the Emerald Coast Classic championship game on Nov. 26.
• Mamadi Diakite scored a career-best 10 points and blocked three shots and Jack Salt had career highs in points (8) and rebounds (6).
• Darius Thompson added 11 points and Isaiah Wilkins had nine points, three steals and two blocked shots.
• UVA shot 59.5 percent and committed just seven turnovers en route to its fourth straight regular-season tournament championship.

Game Notes: Ohio State

• Senior Marc Loving became the 53rd Buckeye all-time to reach 1,000 career points. Loving scored 20 points vs. Marshall last time out. He is the 12th player in the Thad Matta era to reach 1,000 career points as a Buckeye.
• Ohio State has won at least 10 Big Ten regular season games (11-7 in 2016) over the last 11 seasons, the longest streak in school history and the longest streak among Big Ten schools over Thad Matta’s 12-year tenure with the Buckeyes. Wisconsin (12-6 in conference play last year) has a streak of 10-consecutive seasons with 10+ victories in regular season league play.
• Thad Matta is No. 13 all-time in career Big Ten regular-season victories … Matta owns 143 career league triumphs. He is tied with Harold “Bud” Foster (WIS 1935-59) who also won 143 league encounters. The No. 12 spot is held by former Ohio State coach Harold Olsen (1923-46). He won 154 league games over his tenure.
• Keita Bates-Diop needs a pair of buckets to reach 200 made field goals for his career (198-431)…he also is two rebounds shy of 300 for his Ohio State tenure. Marc Loving needs six rebounds to reach 400 at Ohio State. He averages 5.5 boards this season and 3.6 for his career. Jae’Sean Tate is three buckets shy of 300 for his career (297-533 (.557). He also needs just four rebounds to reach 400. He averages 7.0 boards this season and 5.7 for his career. Kam Williamsneeds two made 3s to reach 100 for his career. He is 18-32 this season (.563) and 98-232 (.422) for his career.
• Matta teams are 303-14 during his tenure at Ohio State when the Buckeyes own a lead with 5:00 to play in games. Ohio State also is 286-17 in 303 games in which Ohio State has built a lead of at least 10 points at any point during a game.
• Since Thad Matta took over the Ohio State program the Buckeyes have competed against 120 opponents ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, the third-most games against ranked foes in all of NCAA Division I men’s basketball. The Buckeyes are 54-66 in those games with a winning percentage of .450. That win total ranks No. 10 nationally for victories vs. ranked opponents since 2004-05.