Men's Hoops Squad Hosts Loyola Wednesday
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Dec. 6, 1999
Virginia (4-3) vs. Loyola (4-3)
December 8, 1999
7:30 p.m.
University Hall
Charlottesville, Va.
Virginia is currently 4-3 overall, but the Cavaliers have lost their lasttwo games. UVa is coming off an 83-61 loss to St. John’s at Madison SquareGarden last Saturday (Dec. 4). Loyola is also 4-3 on the season, but theGreyhounds are coming off a 71-57 victory over Rider at home on Sunday(Dec. 5). Loyola is currently 1-1 in the Metro Atlantic AthleticConference with a 76-60 loss at Marist last Friday (Dec. 3) and the victoryover Rider.
Television: Wednesday’s game is not scheduled to be televised.
Radio: All UVa games are heard on the Virginia Sports Network originatingat WINA/WQMZ in Charlottesville. Mac McDonald calls the play by play. JimHobgood provides the analysis.
The Series vs. Loyola: Virginia leads the series with Loyola 5-0,including an 89-70 victory over the Greyhounds in Baltimore, Md., lastseason. Three of the five games in the series have been played inCharlottesville.
Forward Chris Williams scored 26 points and grabbed six rebounds,and guard Chezley Watson scored 20 points and had four assists to lead theCavaliers to their victory over Loyola last season.
Changes in Virginia’s Starting Lineup: Virginia head coach Pete Gillen hasused six different starting lineups and has had a total of 10 differentplayers start in the first seven games of the Cavaliers’ 1999-2000 season.Only one player, sophomore Adam Hall, has started all seven games.
The Cavaliers opened the season with junior Stephane Dondon andsophomore Chris Williams at forward, and junior Colin Ducharme at center.Junior Donald Hand and Hall started in the backcourt. In the second game,a 98-57 triumph over VMI, Gillen started freshman Travis Watson at centerinstead of Ducharme. With the same starting lineup in the third game ofthe season against South Carolina, the Cavaliers suffered a 73-71 setback.
Gillen changed his starting lineup for the third time againstProvidence and it resulted in an 80-64 victory. Hall, Williams and Watsonremained in the starting lineup, but junior guard Keith Friel and freshmanguard Majestic Mapp started in place of Hand and Dondon. The Cavaliersused their fourth different starting combination against Arizona State(Hall, Williams, Watson, Mapp and Hand) and came away with a 70-64 victory.
In a 74-62 loss at Minnesota in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge onNovember 30, Virginia started Willie Dersch, Ducharme, Hall, Hand andWatson. UVa started its sixth different lineup against St. John’s lastSaturday (Dec. 4) when Roger Mason, Hall, Hand, Watson and Williams were inthe Cavaliers’ starting lineup.
Donald Hand and Travis Watson Lead the Way: Junior guardDonald Hand led the Cavaliers in scoring last season (17.1 ppg.) and isleading the team in scoring through the first six games of the 1999-2000season (15.3 ppg.). Hand has led the team in scoring in three games.Freshman forward Travis Watson is third on the team in scoring (12.4 ppg.)and is the team’s leading rebounder (9.3 rpg.). Watson has led the team inscoring twice and in rebounding five times. He has two double-doubles inpoints and rebounds.
Virginia Loses to St. John’s in Madison Square Garden: Despite aseason-high 20 points from forward Chris Williams, and 10 points and ninerebounds from Travis Watson, UVa dropped an 85-63 decision to St. John’sUniversity in Madison Square Garden last Saturday (Dec. 4). Erick Barkleyled five St. John’s players in double figures with 27 points. The RedStorm shot 55.4 percent (31-56) from the field, including 50 percent (6-12)from three-point range in the victory over the Cavaliers. The loss wasVirginia’s second in a row.
Cavaliers Lose to Minnesota in ACC/Big Ten Challenge: Virginia shot aseason-low 36.4 percent from the field and the Cavaliers were out-rebounded41-32 in a 74-62 loss at Minnesota in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on November30. Terrance Simmons paced four Minnesota players in double figures with15 points, while freshman forward Travis Watson scored a game-high 16points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to lead the Cavaliers.
Freshmen Making Significant Contribution: Three freshmen are playingsignificant minutes for Virginia in the early part of the 1999-2000 season.Forward Travis Watson, and guards Majestic Mapp and Roger Mason have eachseen action in all seven of Virginia’s games.
Watson has started six games for the Cavaliers and is the team’sleading rebounder (9.3 rpg.) and third leading scorer (12.4 ppg.). He alsoleads the team in field goal percentage (60.3 percent, 35-58) and blockedshots (seven), and is tied for second on the team in steals (10). Watsonis averaging 27.3 minutes of playing time a game.
Mapp is averaging 7.0 points and 0.9 rebound a game while playingan average of 19.4 minutes. He has started two games and is shooting ateam-high 57.1 percent (8-14) from three-point range. Mapp has 16 assistsand 13 turnovers.
Mason is averaging 5.3 points and 2.4 rebounds a game. He isaveraging 16.6 minutes of playing time a game and has nine steals.