Augusta Free Press editor Chris Graham is courtside at tonight’s game in the ACC-Big 10 Challenge pitting UVa. (7-1) vs. #8 Wisconsin (8-0).
Tipoff is at 7 p.m. The game is being broadcast on ESPN2.
Game Notes
• Virginia head coach Tony Bennett (Green Bay) is a Wisconsin native, who starred at Green Bay (1988-92) and coached at Wisconsin from 1999-2003 under his father, Dick Bennett, Brad Soderberg and current Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan.
• The Cavaliers claimed the Corpus Christi Challenge title, their first tournament championship in the Tony Bennett era.
• UVa is 50-19 against non-conference opponents during Bennett’s five seasons. • The Cavaliers rank third in the nation in scoring defense at 53.5 points per game. • Virginia is outscoring opponents 250-138 in bench points, averaging 31.3 per game. • Head coach Bo Ryan has 299 career victories at Wisconsin.
• Virginia: Tony Bennett (Green Bay, 1992), 83-54 in five seasons at UVa and 152-87 in eight seasons overall. Wisconsin: Bo Ryan (Wilkes University, 1969), 299-113 in 13 seasons at Wisconsin and 682-216 in 30 seasons overall.
First Half
Early look: Good ball movement for Virginia. UVa. starts 3-of-6 from the floor. Two misses by Joe Harris on good looks from three. Virginia out to the early 6-2 lead. Wisconsin isn’t getting through the Pack-Line early on: 1-of-3 shooting, three turnovers.
Midway point: Virginia leads 13-11 at 11:47 mark. Virginia is shooting 50 percent (6-12 FG). Wisconsin is at 44.4 percent (4-9 FG).
Under-8 TO: Tied at 14. Key moment: Akil Mitchell picks up his third foul. Darion Atkins has two. Good thing UVa. has depth in the post.
Final media TO: Wisconsin 19-15, 3:34. Virginia hasn’t scored from the field since 13:08.
Ugly, as expected: Wisconsin leads at the half, 25-20.
Story of the first half: Virginia scores just seven points in the final 13:08 as Wisconsin closes the half on a 14-7 scoring run, if you can call 14 points in 13:08 anything resembling a run. The ‘Hoos are 2-15 from the field in the final 11:47 and just 8-27 from the field overall in the first half (29.6 percent. Wisconsin wasn’t much better, 8-25 from the field (32 percent). The difference in the game is Wisconsin is 7-8 from the foul line, while Virginia’s early-season struggles at the stripe continue, going just 3-5 from the line.
Second Half
Wisconsin controls on D, ups lead to 10: Badgers on a modest 5-0 run out of the locker room, up 30-20. UVa. calls timeout at 15:59. Wisconsin is absolutely owning this game right now.
Slog: Virginia has eight points in the last 20:33. Down 32-21 with 12:35.
Run comes up short: Virginia goes on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to seven at 37-30, but fails to convert on three straight opportunities to cut the lead further. Then Wisconsin answers with five straight. It’s 42-30 with 6:00 to go.
Still down 11: Wisconsin leads 43-32 with 3:56 to go. Virginia is 3-15 from the field this half and has made just 5 of its last 30 shots overall.
Final analysis: You don’t win too many games with 11 made field goals.
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