Game Notes: #6 Virginia basketball battles Bradley in Charleston on Thursday

No. 6 Virginia (1-1) meets Bradley (1-1) in the first round of the Charleston Classic on Thursday, Nov. 19. Tipoff at TD Arena is set for 9:30 p.m.

 

For Openers

• UVA seeks its third consecutive non-conference, regular-season tournament title.
• The Cavaliers captured the Corpus Christi championship in 2013 and Barclays Center Classic title in 2014.
• Bradley head coach Brian Wardle served as head coach at Tony Bennett’s alma mater, Green Bay, for five seasons from 2010-15.
• Virginia posted a 2-1 record against Green Bay during Brian Wardle’s tenure at the school.

 

Broadcast Information

• The Virginia-Bradley game will be televised on ESPN2, streamed online at WatchESPN.com 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.

 

The Head Coaches
Virginia: Tony Bennett (Green Bay, 1992), 137-65 in seven seasons at UVA and 206-98 in 10 seasons overall.

Bradley: Brian Wardle (Marquette, 2001), 1-1 in his first season at Bradley and 96-66 in six seasons overall.

 

Virginia’s No. 6 AP Preseason Ranking Best Since 1982-83

• UVA is ranked No. 6 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ preseason polls.
• The Cavaliers’ No. 6  preseason ranking was UVA’s best since a No. 1 ranking to start the 1982-83 season.
• UVA has been ranked in the top 10 in 25 consecutive AP polls since March 3, 2014, its longest span since 49 consecutive polls from 1980-83.
• Virginia has been ranked in the preseason top-10 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1981-82 and 1982-83.
• UVA has finished in the top 10 (No. 3 in 2014 & No. 6 in 2015) in the final AP rankings in back-to-back seasons for the first time since three straight seasons from 1981-83.

 

About The ‘Hoos

• The Cavaliers defeated Morgan State 86-48 to open the season, but suffered a 73-68 loss at George Washington on Monday, Nov. 16.
• Senior All-America candidate Malcolm Brogdon and Anthony Gill lead the Cavaliers into action at the Charleston Classic.
• Brogdon tallied a career-high 28 points at George Washington and leads UVA in scoring at 16.5 points per game.
• Gill is averaging 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds, and has reached double figures in scoring in each of the first two games.
• Senior center Mike Tobey has averaged 12.5 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds.

 

UVA vs. The Charleston Classic Field

• Virginia is 13-8 all-time against the 2015 Charleston Classic field.
• The Cavaliers are 0-2 vs. Bradley, 7-1 vs. George Mason, 0-0 vs. Long Beach State, 1-1 vs. Mississippi, 0-1 vs. Oklahoma State, 0-3 vs. Seton Hall and 5-0 vs. Towson.

 

Last Time Out

• Virginia suffered a 73-68 loss at George Washington on Monday, Nov. 16.
• Malcolm Brogdon led UVA in points (28), rebounds (6) and assists (4) in the loss.
• Tyler Cavanaugh (18), Patricio Garino (18), Paul Jorgensen (10) and Joe McDonald (10) each scored in double figures for George Washington.
• The Colonials out-rebounded Virginia 37-33 and went 23-28 from the charity stripe.
• UVA shot 40.3 percent from the field, including 25 percent (5-20) from 3-point range.
• 59 of UVA’s 68 points came from its starters.
• The loss ended Virginia’s seven-game winning streak vs. George Washington.

 

Virginia All-Time vs. Bradley

• UVA is 0-2 all-time against Bradley in the series that dates back to 1947.
• Bradley defeated UVA, 96-85, in the last meeting between the teams during the College Basketball Invitational at John Paul Jones Arena in 2007-08.
• Bradley defeated Virginia 77-58 in the first meeting between the teams in 1947.

 

On The Horizon

• Virginia returns home from the Charleston Classic to host Lehigh in a non-conference tilt on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 7 p.m.