Video: UVA coach Tony Bennett, players talk NCAA Tournament

UVA basketball’s London Perrantes, Devon Hall and Tony Bennett discuss the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

 

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‘Hoos face UNC-Wilmington on Thursday

UVA is the #5 seed in the East Region and will face #12 seed UNC-Wilmington in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

The Cavaliers (22-10) are one of nine ACC teams to receive bids. Syracuse (19-13) was a surprise omission, after making a Final Four run in 2016 as one of the last at-large teams in the field.

The game will be played at 12:40 p.m. Thursday in Orlando.

The winner plays the winner of #4 Florida (24-8) vs. #13 East Tennessee State (27-7) on Saturday.

Looming down the road from there for Virginia are potential Sweet 16 matchups with #1 seed Villanova (31-3), which beat the Cavs, 61-59, on Jan. 29, and #9 seed Virginia Tech (22-10), which split a home-and-home with UVA in the 2016-2017 season.

#8 seed Wisconsin (25-9) plays Virginia Tech in the first round on Thursday in Buffalo.

Duke (26-8) is the #2 seed in the East Region and could be a potential Elite Eight matchup down the road.

Virginia will make its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance and fourth straight for the first time since 1981-84.

The Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional final last year after earning their fifth No. 1 seed in school history. The Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2014 and NCAA third round in 2015.

This is Virginia’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance under two-time ACC Coach of the Year Tony Bennett. The Cavaliers have compiled an all-time record of 28-20 in 20 NCAA tournaments. UVA advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 1981 and 1984.