No. 5 Virginia (9-1) hosts California (9-2) in non-conference action on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 9 p.m.
Ticket Information
- Tickets are on sale for the Virginia-California game for $30 and $40 in sections 301, 302, and 315. Tickets can be purchased online at VirginiaSports.com or by phone at 1-800-542-8821.
For Openers
- Virginia and California meet for the first time.
- California head coach Cuonzo Martin served as an assistant coach for the 2011 USA Basketball Men’s World University Games National Team, while Virginia head coach Tony Bennett served as a court coach during that team’s training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Virginia sophomore guard Darius Thompson played for Cuonzo Martin at Tennessee during his freshman season in 2013-14.
- UVA ranks seventh nationally in scoring defense (58.9 ppg), eighth in field goal percentage (51.5%) and 13th in free throw percentage (76.4%).
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 Basketball Getting Offensive
- 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.
The Head Coaches
- Virginia: Tony Bennett (Green Bay, 1992), 145-65 in seven seasons at UVA and 214-98 in 10 seasons overall.
- California: Cuonzo Martin (Purdue, 2000), 27-17 in two seasons and 151-99 in eight seasons overall.
Last Time Out
- Anthony Gill tallied 22 points and Malcolm Brogdon had 20 to lead then-No. 8/9 Virginia to an 86-75 win over then-No. 12/13 Villanova on Dec. 19.
- London Perrantes added 19 points as Virginia posted its second straight win against a ranked opponent.
- UVA shot 55.6 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from 3-point range, and out-rebounded the Wildcats 31-19.
- UVA last defeated consecutive ranked teams in non-league play in the regular season on Dec. 11 and 16, 1982-83 – vs. No. 3 Georgetown (68-63) and No. 14 Houston (72-63). The Georgetown game was played at the Capital Centre in Landover, Md., and the Houston game was played in Tokyo, Japan. NBA Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing were the featured opponents in those contests.
On The Horizon
- Virginia hosts California in non-conference action on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 9 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
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Chris Graham
