It’s first-test-of-the-season time for the UVA Basketball program, which is at The Greenbrier this weekend for games with a pair of Power 4s, with Northwestern the opponent on Friday.
Northwestern (4-0) was picked 15th in the 18-team Big Ten in the media preseason poll there, so, you know, meh.
KenPom is a little kinder – 12th, with a projected 18-13 finish, and a #46 ranking nationally, so, in the vicinity of the NCAA Tournament bubble.
The leading scorer for the Wildcats is 6’7” senior Nick Martinelli (20.5 ppg, 6.5 rebounds/g, 62.2% FG), who was also a 20.5-points-per-game scorer a year ago.
Arrinten Page, a 6’11” junior on his third school in three years (Southern Cal, Cincinnati), is putting up 16.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game through four games – after getting limited minutes at his previous two stops.
The other Northwestern guy to watch for is 5’10” point guard Jayden Reid, a junior who transferred in after two seasons at South Florida, where he averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 assists per game a year ago.
Game Coverage
Update: Northwestern 17-12, 11:18/1st
Down five, despite shooting just 4-of-15 from the floor.
Four offensive rebounds, but just one second-chance bucket out of that.
Tempo: 64-possession pace.
Feels faster.
Update: Northwestern 21-20, 7:36/1st
Virginia is 6-of-21 from the floor, Northwestern is 9-of-18.
How are the ‘Hoos in the game? Rebounds: 15-8 advantage for UVA.
Malik Thomas has nine early points.
Timeout Northwestern: Score tied at 26, 5:04/1st
I don’t like what I’ve seen from the UVA offense. Not really creating open shots. Feels like street ball.
Update: UVA 32-29, 2:56/1st
I’m not sure that’s a goaltend, but anyway.
Onyenso looks overmatched. And I wish I could figure out the issue with Grunloh’s shooting.
Half: UVA 40, Northwestern 36
Thijs de Ridder had 17 points and seven boards, and I gotta say, it was pretty quiet.
Virginia shot 40 percent (14-of-35) – started 5-of-20, finished 9-of-15.
Zones: 4-of-8 at the rim, 2-of-14 from three, six other makes in the paint.
UVA had 12 offensive rebounds; Northwestern had nine defensive rebounds.
Tempo: 35 possessions (70 pace).
Minutes
- Frontcourt: de Ridder 16, Grunloh 15, Onyenso 5, Tillis 4.
- Backcourt: Thomas 14, Hall 13, Mallory 12, Lewis 12, White 10.
UVA Timeout: Northwestern 53-48, 16:03/2nd
Northwestern has 17 points, is 6-of-6 from the floor, 3-of-3 from three, 2-of-2 at the line, in 3:57 of the second half.
Why did it take so long for Odom to call that TO?
Northwestern is getting everything it wants right now.
Update: Northwestern 61-55, 11:27/2nd
Too many live-ball turnovers: Northwestern has a 15-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
De Ridder has 23 on 9-of-15 shooting; the other guys have 32 on 11-of-33 shooting.
Just 3-of-18 from three.
Northwestern is 6-of-11 from three and 13-of-17 at the rim.
They should be winning by 25.
Timeout Northwestern: UVA 63-61, 9:19/2nd
Virginia 8-0 run leads to a Collins timeout.
Northwestern already has 10 team fouls in the second half.
Four guys with three fouls, one with four.
Update: Northwestern 66-63, 7:38/2nd
Chintzy fourth foul on de Ridder, who has 26.
Somebody obviously needs to step up in this next four minutes.
Only other guy in dubs is Mallory with 11.
Nobody else can seem to shoot in this hotel ballroom.
Update: Tied at 70, 3:59/2nd
Welp, de Ridder was back, for a minute, before getting his fifth – dumb foul, on a fast break, just needed to let the guy go by.
The offense now is Mallory getting fouled 20 feet from the basket.
Northwestern can’t seem to be able to guard him.
Update: UVA 74-73, 1:11 left
Now Mallory has fouled out.
Last one left, turn out the lights.
Final: UVA 83, Northwestern 78
The score in the final 10 minutes: UVA 23, Northwestern 17.
Virginia was 3-of-15 from the field in the final 10 minutes; Northwestern, 3-of-13.
This one had 51 (!) fouls.
Full recap to come on the site.
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Chris Graham
