Virginia Men's Basketball Weekly Release

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Jan. 1, 2001

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The Series vs. Wake Forest
Virginia led the all-time series with Wake Forest entering the 1990s, but the Demon Deacons have had the better of the Cavaliers the last decade and now lead the series 57-53. The Deacs have won 11 of the last 15 meetings and 16 of the 26 matchups since the 1989-90 season. The two teams split a pair of meetings last season with each team winning on the road. Virginia won the first meeting of the 1999-2000 season 76-67 in Winston-Salem (Jan. 30). The victory marked the Cavaliers’ second consecutive win over Wake Forest (UVa won the second meeting in the 1998-99 season, 64-54 at University Hall). The Demon Deacons earned a split in last season’s games with an 80-75 win in Charlottesville (Mar. 2).

Virginia has not had much luck on the western end of Tobacco Road. The Cavaliers are 3-8 in the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum and 11-29 all-time in Winston-Salem against Wake Forest. UVa snapped a five-game losing streak to the Deacs at Lawrence Joel Coliseum with a 76-67 win last season (Jan. 30). Previously, the Cavaliers’ last victory at Wake was a 61-59 win on January 26, 1994.

Best Start
Virginia’s 10-0 start in the 2000-2001 season is its best since the 1992-93 campaign. The 1992-93 team started the season with an 11-0 record. The last time UVa started a season with 12 consecutive wins was in the 1981-82 season.

Winning Streaks
In the 96-year history of the men’s basketball program, the Cavaliers have started out a season with a 10-0 record eight times. A win against Wake Forest would mark the seventh time Virginia has started a season with 11 consecutive victories.

A Top 10 Matchup
Tonight’s game against Wake Forest marks the first time in nearly eight years that Virginia has played in a game between two teams ranked in the top 10. The last time UVa played another top 10 team was on January 20, 1993, when it lost to North Carolina 80-58 in Chapel Hill, N.C. Virginia was ranked seventh at the time and North Carolina was third (AP poll released January 18, 1993).

Excluding Duke and North Carolina, the last time prior to tonight that two top 10 ACC teams met was on February 12, 1997. Second-ranked Wake Forest defeated seventh-ranked Clemson 55-49 at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C.

Head Coach Pete Gillen
Pete Gillen is in his 16th season as a collegiate head coach and sports a 317-156 record for a .670 winning percentage. Gillen is in his third season at Virginia and has posted a 43-28 record (.606 winning percentage). Gillen won the 300th game of his career when Virginia defeated then 21st-ranked North Carolina 87-85 on January 18, 2000 at University Hall.

Gillen has led his teams to postseason play 12 times in 15 seasons (eight NCAA, four NIT). He has been selected as the conference Coach of the Year five times – all while coaching Xavier (Midwestern Collegiate Conference).

Tough to Shoot Well vs. Wake Forest
Virginia has had a rough time on the offensive end against Wake Forest since Dave Odom took over the Demon Deacons’ coaching reins in 1989-90. Odom has built Wake Forest into one of the toughest defensive squads in the nation and the Demon Deacons have been particularly effective against Virginia. The Cavaliers have shot 46 percent or better against Wake Forest just five times in the last 26 games. All five games resulted in Virginia wins. UVa is 10-16 vs. Wake Forest since 1989-90.

Virginia has shot 40.5 percent from the floor and averaged 63.7 points per game during Odom’s tenure at Wake Forest.

Similarly, the Cavalier defense has been almost as stingy as Wake’s. The Deacons have made 42.4 percent of their field goal attempts over the last 26 meetings and have averaged 65.7 points per game.

Wake Forest topped 50 percent shooting from the floor only twice in the 1990s against Virginia. Those games are–52.1 percent (25-48) in a 74-66 win in Winston-Salem on February 10, 1991 and 55.8 percent (29-52) in an 81-64 win in Winston-Salem on January 24, 1996.

A breakdown of both teams’ offensive performance since the 1989-90 season in wins and losses is below.

UVa WFU
FG% PPG FG% PPG
Combined (26) .405 63.7 .424 65.7
UVa wins (10) .452 68.4 .399 61.9
UVa losses (16) .378 60.8 .441 68.1

Free Throws Make the Difference
Virginia has made more field goals than Wake Forest in five of the last eight meetings. That hasn’t done much good as the Cavaliers have lost five of eight games with the Demon Deacons in the last four seasons.

One area that has been particularly evident in Wake Forest’s ability to offset field goal differential is the Demon Deacons’ propensity to get to the free throw line. UVa has attempted more free throws than Wake Forest in a game just twice in the last four seasons (eight games). Last season, in an 80-75 loss at U-Hall (Mar. 2), UVa attempted one more free throw than Wake (27-26), but the Deacs made four more free throws (21-17). In Virginia’s 64-54 win over the Demon Deacons on February 3, 1999, the Cavaliers attempted 32 free throws (and made 26), while Wake was 12-13 from the line.

The Deacs have enjoyed a huge advantage in free throws in the last four seasons, especially in close games.

A look at the free throw differential is below.
UVa Score WFU
FGM FTs UVa+/- FGM FTs
1996-97 22 2-5 L-4 17 20-27
21 12-13 L-6 26 8-13
1997-98 27 12-18 W+9 20 16-21
19 9-15 L-7 15 29-39
1998-99 23 2-9 L-16 19 26-34
17 26-32 W+10 19 12-13
1999-00 30 9-17 W+9 26 11-19
26 17-27 L-5 27 21-26
Total 185 89-136 169 143-192

Moving Up in the AP and USA Today/ESPN Polls
The Cavaliers continue to climb in The Associated Press and USAToday/ESPN Top 25 polls. In the AP poll released December 25 Virginia is ranked eighth and the Cavaliers are ranked ninth in the USAToday/ESPN poll released December 26. The AP ranking of eighth is UVa’s highest since being ranked seventh in the poll on January 18, 1993. The Cavaliers’ ranking of ninth in the USAToday/ESPN poll is their highest since earning the eighth spot in the final poll of the 1994-95 season (April 4, 1995).

For the first time since the 1995-96 season, the Virginia men’s basketball team opened a season ranked in both The Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Top 25 polls. Virginia was ranked 24th in the AP’s preseason poll and 25th in the preseason USAToday/ESPN poll.

Before the 1995-1996 season Virginia was ranked 19th in the AP and 14th in the USA Today/ESPN polls. The last time the Cavs appeared in any poll prior to this season came during the 1996-97 season when they were ranked 25th in the AP poll (12/3/96).

Here’s a look at Virginia’s ranking in the AP and USAToday/ESPN polls this season:
Date AP USAToday/ESPN
Preseason 24 25
Nov. 13 25 No Poll
Nov. 20 25 NR
Nov. 27 21 22
Dec. 4 16 19
Dec. 11 14 14
Dec. 18 14 14
Dec. 25 8 9
Dec. 31 NA 9

Virginia in ACC Openers
Virginia is 19-28 all-time in ACC season openers. UVa is 13-14 in home ACC openers and 6-14 on the road.

Tonight’s game is the eighth time in 48 years that UVa has opened the ACC season against Wake Forest. The Cavaliers are 5-2 against the Demon Deacons in those games. Virginia is 2-1 in ACC openers at Wake Forest and 3-1 in home openers against the Demon Deacons.

The last time UVa and Wake met to open the ACC season was in the 1978-79 season with Virginia winning at Wake Forest 88-75.

Virginia is 5-2 vs. Wake Forest, 3-2 vs. Florida State, 1-0 vs. Georgia Tech and South Carolina, 8-13 vs. Duke, 1-7 vs. Maryland, 0-2 vs. North Carolina and 0-1 vs. Clemson and NC State all-time in ACC openers.

The 1999-2000 Season
Virginia finished the 1999-2000 season with a 19-12 overall record and a 9-7 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavs advanced to postseason play for the first time since receiving a bid to the 1997 NCAA Tournament, but fell to Georgetown in the first round of the 2000 National Invitation Tournament 115-111 in triple overtime.

A Top Five Win
The Cavaliers’ 107-89 win over fourth-ranked Tennessee (Dec. 19) at the Jimmy V Classic marked the first time since the 1995 season that Virginia defeated a top-five ranked team. UVa’s last win against a top five team prior to the Tennessee victory was a 67-58 win over Kansas in the Sweet 16 of the 1995 NCAA Tournament on March 24 in Kansas City, Mo. The Jayhawks were ranked fourth in the AP poll and fifth in the USAToday/ESPN poll at the time.

Only Seven Remain…But One Will Fall
At 10-0 on the season, Virginia is one of seven Division I men’s basketball teams that remain undefeated in the 2000-2001 season (as of Dec. 31). The number of undefeated teams will be reduced to at least six after tonight’s Virginia – Wake Forest matchup. Here is a list of the remaining undefeated Division I teams with their next opponent:

Baylor (10-0) vs. Texas Southern (Jan. 2)
Boston College (9-0) vs. Connecticut (Jan. 3)
Georgetown (11-0) vs. West Virginia (Jan. 3)
Michigan State (11-0) vs. Penn State (Jan. 3)
Stanford (11-0) vs. Arizona State (Jan. 4)
Virginia (10-0) vs. Wake Forest (Jan. 2)
Wake Forest (11-0) vs. Virginia (Jan. 2)

Getting the Lead…And Keeping it
Through 10 games and 400 minutes of the 2000-2001 season, the Cavaliers have trailed for just 7:34. The most time UVa has trailed in a single game this season is 2:43 against Virginia Tech (Nov. 24). In that game, the Cavaliers took the lead for good at the 15:49 mark of the first half which is the latest point UVa has trailed in a game this season. Virginia has never trailed in four of its 10 games this season.

The latest point in a game the Cavaliers have been tied with an opponent this season is with 2.8 seconds left in the first half against UMBC (Dec. 23) when Roger Mason, Jr., sank a pair of free throws to break a 40-40 tie and give UVa a 42-40 lead.

A Rare Feat
Senior guard Donald Hand has recorded 1,240 points, 331 rebounds, 424 assists and 154 steals in his career. Hand is just the third UVa player with at least 1,000 points, 300 rebounds, 400 assists and 150 steals in a career. The other two UVa players to accomplish the feat are Othell Wilson (1981-84) – 1,469 points, 375 rebounds, 493 assists and 222 steals, and Harold Deane (1994-97) – 1,763 points, 440 rebounds, 468 assists and 179 steals.

Scoring Lots of Points
The Cavaliers are off to an excellent start offensively in the 2000-2001 season. Through the first 10 games of the season, UVa is averaging 94.7 points per game which leads all Atlantic Coast Conference schools and is second in the nation (as of the NCAA release of December 18). The school record for the highest scoring average is 89.8 points per game in the 1954-55 season.

UVa is also shooting 49.5 percent (332-671) from the floor this season. The last time Virginia shot 50 percent from the field in a season was in the 1985-86 season when the Cavaliers connected on 50.1 percent (838-1672) from the floor.

Big Wins
The Cavaliers have won all 10 of their games this season by 16 points or more. Eight of the 10 wins have been by 19 or more points. Virginia is also outscoring its opponents by 28.8 points per game (94.7 to 65.9).

Big Leads
One of the reasons for Virginia’s early season success is its ability to build big leads. In eight of the first 10 games this season, Virginia built leads of 20 or more points. In the only two games the Cavaliers failed to lead by 20 points (VMI – Dec. 4 and UMBC – Dec. 23), they led by at least 18 points.

50 Points

Virginia has held three of its opponents to 50 points or less this season. UVa limited Virginia Tech to 48 points in its 64-48 victory (Nov. 24) for its season low. Virginia held Bucknell to 49 points in a 99-49 victory (Dec. 28) and Long Island University to 50 points in a 96-50 triumph (Nov. 17).

When UVa limited Virginia Tech to 48 points, it marked the fewest points the Cavaliers have allowed in a game under head coach Pete Gillen. The previous record for fewest points allowed in a game under Gillen was 50 by Dartmouth last season (Jan. 2, 2000) and Long Island University earlier this season (Nov. 17).

Prior to holding Virginia Tech to 48 points, UVa’s opponents were averaging 75.8 points per game during Gillen’s tenure. Virginia held the Hokies nearly 28 points below that average.

This season, UVa has limited its first 10 opponents to an average of 65.9 points per game. Last year, the Cavaliers gave up 75.4 points per game.

117

Virginia’s offense was rolling in its victory over Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20). The Cavaliers lit up the scoreboard in the 117-78 victory with the 117 points tying for the fourth highest single game output in school history. UVa also scored 117 points against Baldwin-Wallace (117-83) in the 1972 season. The school record for points in a game is 128 vs. George Mason (128-98) in 1995. The second highest output is 124 points against Johns Hopkins (124-60) in the 1983 season, while the third highest point total is 118 vs. BYU-Hawaii (118-84) in the 1982 season.

The Cavaliers’ 117 points are the most the team has scored since a 115-111 triple overtime loss to Georgetown in last season’s NIT.

70

Virginia scored 70 points in the second half of its 117-78 victory over Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20), which is believed to be a school record for points in a half. The previous known high for points in a half was 69 in the second half of UVa’s 128-98 victory over George Mason on January 28, 1995. Virginia scored 67 points in the second half of a 124-60 win against Johns Hopkins on November 26, 1982.

NCAA Statistics
Virginia appears in several categories in the NCAA Division I statistics for games played through December 18. The NCAA stats do not include Virginia’s games against Tennessee (Dec. 19), UMBC (Dec. 23), Bucknell (Dec. 28), and Dartmouth (Dec. 30). UVa’s current stats are also listed.

Individually, guard Donald Hand is ninth in assists with 7.2 per game. He currently is averaging 6.9 per game. Guard Keith Friel is 13th in three-point field goal percentage at 56.7 percent (17-30). Friel is presently shooting 49.0 percent from beyond the arc (25-51).

As a team, the Cavaliers are tied for first in the country in winning percentage at 1.000 (6-0) – and currently stand at 10-0. UVa is second in scoring with an average of 92.3 points per game. The Cavaliers are currently averaging 94.7 points per game. Virginia is fifth in the nation in scoring margin at plus 26.3 points per game (92.3 ppg to 66.0 ppg). That margin is presently 28.8 points per game (94.7 to 65.9). With a shooting percentage of 51.0 percent (199-390), the Cavaliers are 14th among all Division I teams. Currently, UVa is shooting 49.5 percent from the floor (332-671). Virginia is also 26th in the nation in three-point field goal shooting at 41.1 percent (44-107). That percentage is presently 39.1 percent (68-174).

Joining the Millennium Club
Virginia junior forward Chris Williams became UVa’s 34th player to score 1,000 career points when he drilled a three-point basket with 6:10 remaining in the first half against Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20). Williams finished the game with 15 points and currently has 1,127 in his career. He is now 31st on UVa’s all-time scoring list. Williams joins senior guard Donald Hand as current players reaching the 1,000-point plateau. Hand scored his 1,000th point on Feb. 5, 2000 versus Duke and currently has 1,240 points. Hand is tied for 22nd on Virginia’s all-time scoring list with Billy Langloh (1974-77).

Hand and Williams are the first pair of UVa teammates to both have recorded 1,000 career points since Curtis Staples (1,757 points) and Norman Nolan (1,321) played together during the 1997-98 season.

Hand Equals Career High in Assists
Senior guard Donald Hand dished out 11 assists in the Cavaliers’ 117-78 win over Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20) to tie his career high. He also recorded 11 assists last season against Hampton (Dec. 10, 1999).

Hand Shines in Big Games
Senior guard Donald Hand seems to play his best against top 10 teams. Over the past two seasons (including 2000-2001), Hand has averaged 22.7 points per game in three games against top 10 teams. He has shot 50 perent (23-46) from the field and made nine of 19 three-point attempts (47.4 percent).

Against non-top 10 teams in the same time frame, Hand averages 13.6 points per game and is shooting 37.3 percent (151-405) from the field and 29.7 percent (54-182) from three-point range.

Eight Double Digit Scorers
In the first 10 games of the 2000-2001 season, the Cavaliers have had eight different players score in double figures in a game. UVa had 11 players reach double figures in scoring last season.

Virginia double figure scorers this season are: (only first double digit performance is listed)Stephane Dondon 17 vs. Long Island Univ. (Nov. 17)Travis Watson 16 vs. Long Island Univ. (Nov. 17)Donald Hand 12 vs. Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20)Roger Mason, Jr. 28 vs. Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20)Chris Williams 15 vs. Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20)Keith Friel 15 vs. Virginia Tech (Nov. 24)Adam Hall 14 vs. Purdue (Nov. 29)Maurice Young 10 vs. Bucknell (Dec. 28)

Six Different Leading Scorers
Virginia has had six different players lead the team in scoring in games this season:(only the first time a player has led the team in scoring is listed)Stephane Dondon 17 vs. Long Island Univ. (Nov. 17)
Roger Mason, Jr. 28 vs. Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20)
Keith Friel 15 vs. Virginia Tech (Nov. 24)
Travis Watson 16 vs. Ohio University (Dec. 6)
Donald Hand 24 vs. Purdue (Nov. 29)
Chris Williams 24 vs. Purdue (Nov. 29)

Shooting the Long Ball
Virginia’s current roster features four of the top 11 career three-point field goal leaders in school history. Senior guard Donald Hand currently ranks sixth with 131 three-pointers and needs just two threes to move into the top five. Junior Chris Williams, graduate student Keith Friel and junior Adam Hall are also ranked in the top 11 of UVa’s three-point field goal list. Williams is currently eighth with 77, while Friel has surpassed Hall for 10th place with 70 career threes in just two seasons. Hall is 11th all-time with 67 three-pointers.

Friel has opened the 2000-2001 season by making 25 of 51 (49.0 percent) three-point field goal attempts. In the 1999-2000 season, Friel’s first at UVa, he hit 45-109 (.413) three-pointers. Friel’s 41.3 percent accuracy from behind the line last season ranks as the fifth best performance by a Cavalier in that category. In addition to his 70 career threes at Virginia, Friel also made 60 three-pointers in two seasons at Notre Dame and has a total of 130 career threes.

No Turnovers
In UVa’s 98-79 win over Purdue (Nov. 29), senior guard Donald Hand handed out eight assists and did not commit a turnover. It marked the third time in his career that he did not commit a turnover in a game. The other no turnover games came last season against Clemson (Jan. 15) – 5 assists, 0 turnovers, and Florida State (Jan. 26) – 3 assists, 0 turnovers.

Mason Sets Career Highs
Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr., set career highs for points and assists in a game in UVa’s 117-78 win over Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20). Mason tallied 28 points on 10 of 14 shooting from the field, including a two-for-three effort from three-point range, and he also made six of seven free throws. His former career best was 22 points against Duke (Jan. 5, 2000). With seven assists against the Chanticleers, Mason surpassed his previous career best of four assists on three different occasions.

Mason currently leads the Cavaliers in scoring with an average of 16.2 points per game and is shooting 91.9 percent (57-62) from the free throw line.

Truly a Charity Stripe
Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr., has made the most of his free throw attempts this season. Mason has made his last 40 free throw attempts and 57-62 (91.9 percent) attempts this season. The Virginia record for consecutive free throws made is 48 by Jeff Lamp in the 1979-80 season.

Against UMBC (Dec. 23), Mason made all 14 of his free throw attempts and his perfect effort tied the second best free throw performance by a UVa player in a game. Bryant Stith made all 14 of his free throws against Georgia Tech on January 21, 1990 . Buzzy Wilkinson holds the school record with a perfect 17 for 17 effort against Washington & Lee on January 14, 1955.

Mason’s current streak began against Purdue (Nov. 29) when he made his last four free throws (he was five for six in the game). Mason was two for two against VMI (Dec. 4), four for four versus Ohio (Dec. 6), and nine for nine against Tennessee (Dec. 19). He was 14-14 against UMBC (Dec. 23), before going three for three against Bucknell (Dec. 28). In his last game against Dartmouth (Dec. 30), Mason made all four of his free throw attempts.

Hand Also Hot From Free Throw Line
In addition to Roger Mason, Jr., senior guard Donald Hand has an impressive streak from the free throw line. Hand has made his last 25 free throws with the streak dating back to the Purdue game (Nov. 29). Hand made his final six attempts against the Boilermakers (he was nine of 11 in the game). After not attempting a free throw against VMI (Dec. 4), Hand was four for four against Ohio (Dec. 6), and eight for eight versus Tennessee (Dec. 19). He made both of his free throws against UMBC (Dec. 23) and his only attempt versus Bucknell (Dec. 28). Hand was four for four in his last outing against Dartmouth (Dec. 30).

Taking Care of the Basketball
In 10 games this season, the Cavaliers have committed 127 turnovers for an average of 12.7 per game. UVa has committed more than 13 turnovers in a game only three times this season – 17 vs. Tennessee (Dec. 19), 15 vs. VMI (Dec. 4) and 17 vs. Virginia Tech (Nov. 24). On the other hand, Virginia’s opponents have committed 216 turnovers for an average of 21.6 per game. The fewest turnovers a UVa opponent has committed in a game this season is 17 by UMBC (Dec. 23).

Great Ratio
On the season, senior guard Donald Hand has recorded 69 assists (6.9 assists per game) while committing only 27 turnovers for a 2.6 to 1 assist to turnover ratio.

Hand is second among all ACC players with 6.9 assists per game and is ninth in the nation (Dec. 18 NCAA stats). He is sixth in the ACC in assist to turnover ratio (2.6 to 1). Hand is fourth on the team in scoring with an average of 11.8 points per game. He also leads the team with 22 steals.

Hand Among Assists and Steals Leaders
In addition to holding the sixth spot on UVa’s career three-point field goal list (131 three-pointers), senior guard Donald Hand ranks in Virginia’s top 10 in both career assists and steals. Hand is sixth on the Cavaliers’ all-time assists list with 424. He needs three assists to move past John Johnson’s (1985-88) fifth place total of 426. Hand is also tied with Bobby Stokes (1976-79) for sixth in career steals with 154. He needs six more to tie Richard Morgan (1986-89) for fifth place. In addition, Hand is tied for 22nd on UVa’s career scoring list with 1,240 points. With five more points, Hand will move up to 20th place all-time.

Watson Ties Career High in Rebounds
Sophomore forward/center Travis Watson tied his career high by pulling down 16 rebounds against UMBC (Dec. 23). His 16 rebounds equalled his career high set against Duke on January 5, 2000.

Watson also scored 19 points against the Retrievers (just one point shy of his career high) for his third double-double of the season and 11th of his career. Against Bucknell (Dec. 28), Watson posted 14 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season and 12th of his career.

Watson is third on the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game and leads the team with 9.4 rebounds per game.

The Farther the Better
Guard Keith Friel is shooting better from three-point range than he is from inside the arc. Friel has connected on 25 of 51 three-point attempts for 49.0 percent, while his two-point field goal percentage is just 28.6 percent (4-14).

Friel on Fire
Guard Keith Friel is off to a great shooting start this season. Friel has made 25 of 51 three-point attempts for an impressive .490 shooting percentage. He made a UVa career-high five three-pointers on eight attempts against Virginia Tech (Nov. 24) and scored 15 points. Friel made four of five three-point attempts in scoring a UVa career-high 16 points against Ohio (Dec. 6). He made four of six threes in equaling his career high with 16 points against Tennessee (Dec. 19). His overall career best effort from beyond the arc is eight threes against Syracuse (Jan. 21, 1998) while playing for Notre Dame.

Here’s a look at Friel’s game-by-game three-point field goal shooting in the 2000-2001 season:
Long Island University (Nov. 17) 3-4 .750
Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20) 2-5 .400
Virginia Tech (Nov. 24) 5-8 .625
Purdue (Nov. 29) 3-6 .500
VMI (Dec. 4) 0-2 .000
Ohio (Dec. 6) 4-5 .800
Tennessee (Dec. 19) 4-6 .667
UMBC (Dec. 23) Did Not Play
Bucknell (Dec. 28) 3-8 .375
Dartmouth (Dec. 30) 1-7 .143

Missing Friel
Graduate student guard Keith Friel did not play in UVa’s game against UMBC (Dec. 23) and consequently, the Cavaliers struggled from beyond the three-point arc. UVa made just one of 13 three-point attempts, marking the fewest three-pointers the Cavaliers have made in a game in the Pete Gillen era.The Cavaliers entered the game against UMBC averaging 7.7 three-point field goals per game and 43.2 percent (54-125) from beyond the arc, but were just one of 13 against the Retrievers.

When Friel does not play in a game, Virginia is 1-13 (7.7 percent) from three-point range. When Friel plays, UVa shoots 41.6 percent (67-161) from beyond the arc.

Six in Double Figures
Virginia had six players reach double figures in scoring in its 107-89 win over Tennessee (Dec. 19). Donald Hand led the way with 21, while Roger Mason, Jr., added 18. Keith Friel and Stephane Dondon tallied 16 points apiece, while Chris Williams and Travis Watson both contributed 11 points.

It marked the first time UVa had six players score in double figures this season and the third straight game that at least five players reached double figures. The last time Virginia had six players score in double figures was December 10, 1999 when Chris Williams (18), Adam Hall (15), Donald Hand (15), Willie Dersch (11), Josh Hare (10) and Travis Watson (10) reached double digits in a 102-56 win at Hampton.

12 Different Scorers Times Three
The Cavaliers had 12 players score points in their 99-49 win over Bucknell (Dec. 28) with nine players scoring seven or more points. It marked the third time this season UVa had 12 players score in a game. The Cavaliers had 12 players score in the first two games of the 2000-2001 season. ln their season-opening 96-50 victory over Long Island University (Nov. 17), the Cavaliers had 12 different players score with eight players tallying seven or more points. In UVa’s 117-78 win over Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20), nine of the 12 players who scored had six or more points.

Last season, Virginia had 12 players score in a game four times. UVa had 12 players score in wins over VMI (11/21/99), Loyola (12/8/99), Hampton (12/10/99), and Dartmouth (1/2/00).

Seven Players Drain Threes
In addition to the 12 players scoring in the season-opening win against Long Island (Nov. 17), seven of those players connected on three-point field goals. Last season, UVa also had seven different players make threes in a win over Loyola (12/8/99).

In 10 games this season, 11 different players have connected from beyond the three-point arc. Last season, 11 different UVa players made three-point baskets.

Young Reaches Double Figures in Last Two Games
Freshman forward/guard Maurice Young has come off the bench to score 10 points in 14 minutes of action in the Cavaliers’ last two games. Young established a new career high with 10 points in UVa’s 99-49 win over Bucknell (Dec. 28) on four of five shooting from the field, including two for two from three-point range. Young was three of four from the field and four of six from the free throw line in scoring 10 points in Virginia’s 102-56 win over Dartmouth (Dec. 30).

Young Named ACC Rookie of the Week
Freshman forward/guard Maurice Young was selected as the ACC Co-Rookie of the Week for his play in UVa’s 96-50 win over Long Island University (Nov. 17). He shared the award with Duke’s Chris Duhon. In his collegiate debut, Young scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds. Young was four of six from the field and also added an assist in 11 minutes of action.

2000-2001 Virginia Double-Doubles
Virginia players have registered six double-doubles this season with sophomore forward/center Travis Watson leading the way with four. Here’s a list of the UVa double-doubles thus far in

2000-2001:
Donald Hand – 12 pts., 11 asts. vs. Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20)Travis Watson – 12 pts., 11 rebs. vs. Virginia Tech (Nov. 24) Travis Watson – 10 pts., 11 rebs. vs. VMI (Dec. 4)Travis Watson – 19 pts., 16 rebs. vs. UMBC (Dec. 23)Travis Watson – 14 pts., 11 rebs. vs. Bucknell (Dec. 28)Stephane Dondon – 16 pts., 11 rebs. vs. Tennessee (Dec. 19)

Virginia Splits a Pair of Exhibition Games
The Cavaliers were 1-1 in their two exhibition games during the preseason. Virginia lost to the London Leopards 89-88 on November 4, but bounced back with a 95-80 win over the Nantucket Nectars Naturals on November 12.

Cavaliers Notch 102-56 Win Over Dartmouth
Junior forward Chris Williams scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds in leading Virginia to a 102-56 win over Dartmouth (Dec. 30) at Leede Arena in Hanover, N.H. Williams connected on eight of 10 shots from the field and all five free throws in 22 minutes of playing time.

Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr., added 17 points, while sophomore forward/center Travis Watson contributed 13 points and nine rebounds. Senior guard Donald Hand tallied 11 points, nine assists and four steals, while freshman guard Maurice Young rounded out UVa’s double figure scorers with a career-high tying 10 points.

The Cavaliers shot 50.8 percent (33-65) from the field in the game and also made 31 of 40 free throws (77.5 percent). UVa held a commanding lead in rebounds, 46-24, including a 16-5 edge on the offensive glass. Virginia had a season-high 18 steals while forcing 24 Big Green turnovers.

Dartmouth made a three-point basket to open the game, but Virginia took the lead for good, 7-5, on a layup by Hand at the 17:45 mark. The Cavaliers shot 56.7 percent (17-30) in taking a 50-25 halftime lead. Greg Buth led Dartmouth with 16 points.

UVa Improves to 9-0 With 99-49 Win Over Bucknell
Sophomore forward/center Travis Watson recorded his fourth double-double of the season and 12th of his career with 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Cavaliers to a 99-49 victory over Bucknell (Dec. 28) at University Hall.

Watson led five UVa players in double figure scoring with his 14 points. Junior guard/forward Adam Hall tallied 13 points, five rebounds and three assists, while junior forward Chris Williams notched 12 points and a career-high six steals. Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr., totaled 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Freshman guard Maurice Young scored a career-high 10 points to round out the Cavaliers’ double figure scorers. He also equaled his career best with four rebounds.

After falling behind 5-4 at the 17:09 mark, Virginia went on a 16-0 run over the next 5:36 to take a 20-5 lead. Williams scored seven points during the run. UVa extended its lead to 27 points, 45-18, at intermission. In the second half, Virginia’s lead never fell below 23 points.

The Cavaliers shot 51.3 percent (39-76) in the game, including 50 percent (8-16) from three-point range. UVa held the Bison to 33.3 percent (19-57) shooting and forced 27 turnovers in the game. Virginia also had a 52-36 edge in rebounds. Boakai Lalugba led Bucknell with 14 points.

Second Half Spurt Propels Virginia Past UMBC 85-69
The Cavaliers shook off a sluggish first half and outscored the visiting UMBC Retrievers 43-29 in the second half to post an 85-69 victory (Dec. 23) at University Hall.

Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr., paced four Cavaliers in double figure scoring with 23 points, which included a perfect 14 of 14 effort from the free throw line. Sophomore forward/center Travis Watson notched his third double-double of the season and 11th of his career with 19 points and a career-high tying 16 rebounds. Junior guard/forward Adam Hall nearly recorded a double-double as well with a season-high 18 points and nine rebounds. Junior forward Chris Williams rounded out UVa’s double digit scorers with 13 points.

The Cavaliers led 42-40 at intermission, but scored the first six points of the second half to open up a 48-40 lead with 18:24 to go. Watson began the scoring with a slam dunk off an offensive rebound. Williams then converted a layup and Mason drained a pair of free throws for the eight-point lead.

Leading 65-55 with 9:48 to play, Virginia went on a 12-4 run to open up its biggest lead of the game, 77-59, with 5:55 left.

The Cavaliers enjoyed an excellent night at the free throw line as they connected on 24 of 29 attempts (82.8 percent) with Mason leading the way with his 14-14 effort. UVa also held a commanding 48-35 advantage in rebounds, including a 23-11 edge on the offensive glass. Guard Terence Ward led UMBC with 19 points, while Peter Mulligan added 18 points.

Cavaliers Topple Fourth-Ranked Tennessee 107-89
Six UVa players scored in double figures as Virginia upset fourth-ranked Tennessee 107-89 (Dec. 19) in the Jimmy V Classic at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. The win was Virginia’s first over a top-five ranked team since the 1995 season.

Senior guard Donald Hand led the Cavaliers with game highs of 21 points and nine assists. Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr., added 18 points and a career-high seven rebounds, while senior forward Stephane Dondon registered his first career double-double with 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Graduate student guard Keith Friel converted four of six three-point field goal attempts in equaling his UVa career-high with 16 points. Junior forward Chris Williams and sophomore forward/center Travis Watson both scored 11 points. Junior guard/forward Adam Hall contributed eight points, six rebounds and a career-high five steals.

The Cavaliers, who never trailed in the game, shot 51.4 percent (19-37) in racing out to a 57-40 halftime lead. Dondon led the way in the first half with 13 points.

Virginia built its lead to 22 points, 79-57 with 11:40 remaining, and 81-59 with 11:04 to go. The Vols fought back to cut the UVa margin to 10 on three occasions with the last coming with 2:32 left (99-89). A layup and three free throws by Mason stopped the Tennessee comeback attempt.

The Cavaliers made 10 of 18 (55.6 percent) three-point field goal attempts and also converted 35 of 44 (79.5 percent) free throws in the game. Isiah Victor led Tennessee with 20 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots.

UVa Improves to 6-0 With 90-71 Win Over Ohio
The Cavaliers had five players score in double figures for the second consecutive game in their 90-71 victory over Ohio University (Dec. 6) at University Hall. Virginia broke open a close game with a 16-2 run early in the second half.

Graduate student guard Keith Friel and sophomore forward/center Travis Watson led Virginia’s balanced scoring attack with 16 points apiece. Friel made his mark from long range as he made four of five three-point attempts en route to setting his UVa career high for points. In addition to his 16 points, Watson pulled down a game-high eight rebounds and added two blocked shots, two steals and two assists. Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr. tallied 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Senior guard Donald Hand and junior forward Chris Williams rounded out Virginia’s double figure scorers with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Hand also contributed six rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Williams added seven rebounds and three assists.

UVa held a single digit lead throughout much of the first half and took a 40-33 advantage into the locker room. The Bobcats closed to within five, 43-38, with 17:34 to play, but the Cavaliers responded with a 16-2 run to take a 59-40 lead with 13:15 to play. Watson began the spurt with a pair of slam dunks, while Friel contributed a pair of three-pointers. The Cavaliers extended their lead to as many as 25 points on two occasions before earning the 90-71 victory.

Anthony Jones and Steve Esterkamp paced Ohio with 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Cavaliers Post 89-70 Win Over Determined VMI Squad
Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr. scored a game-high 23 points to lead Virginia to an 89-70 win over VMI (Dec. 4) at Cameron Hall in Lexington, Va. Mason made 10 of 16 attempts from the floor, including one three-pointer, and drained a pair of free throws for his 23 points. He also added four rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Junior forward/guard Adam Hall tallied 17 points, while junior forward Chris Williams added 16 points. Hall was seven of eight from the floor, while Williams made seven of 10 attempts from the field. Senior guard Donald Hand contributed 12 points, nine assists, four rebounds and four steals. Sophomore forward/center Travis Watson registered his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. He also blocked three shots. Eric Mann paced VMI with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Cavaliers built their lead to as many as 19 points, 41-22, with 2:32 remaining in the first half. The determined Keydets cut the deficit to 12, 46-34, at halftime. VMI scored the first five points of the second half to trim UVa’s advantage to seven, 46-39. The Cavaliers responded with an 8-0 run to push their lead back up to 15, 54-39, with 17:03 to play. VMI again closed to within seven, 72-65, with 9:23 to go, but three-pointers by Hand and Williams, a Hall free throw and layup, and a Mason layup, sandwiched around a Keydet free throw, gave UVa an 83-66 lead with 5:21 to play.

As a team, Virginia shot 52.9 percent (37-70) from the floor, including 56.7 percent (17-30) in the second half.

Virginia Tops Purdue in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
The Cavaliers improved to 4-0 on the season with a 98-79 victory over Purdue (Nov. 29) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at University Hall. Senior guard Donald Hand led UVa to the victory with season-highs of 24 points and nine rebounds. Hand also dished out eight assists and had four steals, and did not commit a turnover in 33 minutes of action.

Junior forward Chris Williams also recorded a season-high 24 points and added nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. Junior forward/guard Adam Hall scored a then season-high 14 points on seven of 10 shooting from the field and contributed six rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals. Graduate student guard Keith Friel added 11 points, including three three-point field goals.

The Boilermakers took a quick lead, 5-2, two minutes into the game. A layup by Hand at the 16:32 mark gave Virginia the lead for good, 6-5. The layup by Hand was part of a 13-0 run that gave UVa a 15-5 edge with 14:24 to play in the first half. Purdue closed within 17-10 at the 13:16 mark, but the Cavaliers then embarked on a 15-3 run to take a 32-13 advantage with 7:28 left in the opening half.

The Cavaliers led 45-27 at halftime and never saw their lead shrink to less than 13 points the rest of the game. Joe Marshall led Purdue with 19 points.

Cavaliers Defeat In-State Rival Virginia Tech
Virginia improved to 3-0 on the season with a 64-48 victory over Virginia Tech (Nov. 24) at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va. Guard Keith Friel led the Cavaliers with 15 points on five of eight shooting from three-point range (five of nine overall). Sophomore forward/center Travis Watson registered his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr. added 10 points. Senior guard Donald Hand dished out nine assists to go along with seven points.

The Cavaliers used an 18-4 run to turn a 6-5 deficit into a 23-10 lead with just over nine minutes left in the first half. The Hokies closed to within 23-16 a few moments later, but UVa used a 9-0 run to take a 32-16 advantage. The Cavaliers led 38-23 at halftime. Virginia Tech pulled to within 12, 42-30, with 15:40 left in the game, but Virginia pushed its lead to 20, 50-30, over the next five minutes.

In the game, UVa made eight of 19 three-point field goal attempts (42.1 percent) and 16 of 20 free throws (80 percent) to help offset 37 percent shooting (20-54) from the field. Virginia Tech shot 40 percent (20-50) from the field, but only made six of 18 (33.3 percent) free throws. Carlos Dixon led the Hokies with 13 points.

UVa Rolls to Victory Over Coastal Carolina
Virginia scored 70 points in the second half and cruised to a 117-78 victory over Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20) at University Hall. The Cavaliers’ 117 points ties for the fourth highest single game point output in school history, while the 70 points scored in the second half is believed to be a school record for points in a half.

Sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr. led the Cavaliers with a team and career-high 28 points and also dished out a career-best seven assists. Sophomore forward/center Travis Watson added 17 points and seven rebounds, while junior forward Chris Williams added 15 points, including the 1,000th point of his career. Senior guard Donald Hand registered UVa’s first double-double of the season with 12 points and a career-high tying 11 assists. For the second consecutive game, the Cavaliers had 12 different players score points.

Virginia shot 56.3 percent (40-71) in the game, including a sizzling 65.7 percent (23-35) in the second half. The Chanticleers shot a respectable 46.7 percent (28-60) in the game, but committed 24 turnovers to UVa’s nine. Virginia also held a 41-29 edge in rebounds.

The Cavaliers, who never trailed in the game, jumped out to a 19-6 lead, but Coastal Carolina was able to pull within five points, 31-26, with 7:08 left in the first half. UVa pushed the lead back up to 13, 47-34, at intermission. Virginia broke the game open with a 23-2 run in the first 5:16 of the second half that gave the Cavaliers a 70-36 lead.

Cavaliers Impressive in Season-Opening Win
Virginia opened the 2000-2001 season with a 96-50 victory over Long Island University (Nov. 17) at University Hall. Senior forward Stephane Dondon led a balanced scoring effort with a career-high 17 points, while sophomore forward/center Travis Watson added 16 points. Dondon also contributed six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot in the win. A total of 12 Cavaliers scored in the game with eight players scoring seven or more points. Senior guards Donald Hand and Keith Friel, junior forward Chris Williams, and sophomore guard Roger Mason, Jr., scored nine points apiece in the game.

The Cavaliers shot 61.0 percent (36-59) in the game, including a 10-for-20 effort from three-point range. UVa also played great defense in the game, forcing 20 turnovers while limiting the Blackbirds to 35.1 percent shooting from the field (20-57).

Friel Competing as a Graduate Student
Guard Keith Friel received his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from UVa in May of 2000 and is competing this season as a graduate student.

Hand, Friel and Williams Elected Captains
Senior guards Donald Hand and Keith Friel, and junior forward Chris Williams have been elected captains of the 2000-01 Virginia basketball team by their teammates.

Hand is the first UVa men’s basketball player to serve as a team captain for three consecutive years. He served as a team co-captain last season and as a tri-captain in 1998-99.

2000-2001 ACC Pre-Season Media Prediction(Indicates first place votes)
Team Points
1. Duke (83) 826
2. Maryland (6) 722
3. North Carolina (4) 666
4. Wake Forest 520
5. Virginia 457
6. NC State 429
7. Clemson 231
8. Georgia Tech 201
9. Florida State 133

Four Starters Return for 2000-2001
The Cavaliers return four starters from last season–Donald Hand, Chris Williams, Adam Hall, and Travis Watson. In addition, UVa also returns Roger Mason, who started 11 games, and all but three members of last year’s squad. A total of 11 lettermen (which does not include Greg Lyons) are back to take the hardwood in 2000-2001.

With the return of the 11 letterwinners, it’s not surprising that Virginia returns from last season:
93.8 percent (255 of 272) of the steals
92.7 percent (2,341 of 2,526) of the points
91.0 percent (1,024 of 1,125) of the rebounds
91.3 percent (5,800 of 6,350 ) of the minutes
90.5 percent (398 of 440) of the assists

Cavaliers Welcome Two Newcomers
The 2000-2001 Virginia men’s basketball team features two new faces and one returning member from the 1998-99 squad. Joining the 11 returning lettermen from last season, including four returning starters, are first-years J.C. Mathis and Maurice Young, and senior Greg Lyons.

Mathis is a 6-8 forward from John F. Kennedy High School in Brooklyn, New York. He was a first-team All-City selection and led Kennedy to a 28-3 record, and both the Bronx championship and the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) title during his senior year.

Young, a 6-4 forward from Mitchellville, Md., started four years for Bishop McNamara High School. He was the team’s Most Valuable Player three times and the team captain twice. He finished his high school career as Bishop McNamara’s all-time leading scorer (2,125 points) and rebounder (772 rebounds), and was a McDonald’s All-American nominee.

Lyons rejoins the Virginia team after not playing last year. He saw limited action during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. A two-year letterman, Lyons was a high school teammate of former UVa player Willie Dersch.

Mapp Out
Sophomore guard Majestic Mapp tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and underwent surgery during the summer. Mapp injured the knee while playing basketball at St. Raymond’s High School, his alma mater, on August 2. He is expected to be out of action four to six months.

Mapp was second on the team in assists last season (2.2 apg) and ranked fourth among all Atlantic Coast Conference freshmen in that category. He averaged 5.3 points a game and was named to the ACC Honor Roll for his academic work and athletic participation.

Pre-Season Prognostications
In addition to being ranked in the AP and USA Today/ESPN polls, the Virginia men’s basketball team was ranked among the top 30 teams in the nation in several other preseason rankings. Virginia was ranked 18th by The Sporting News, 23rd by Basketball News and Dick Vitale’s College Basketball 2000-2001 Preview, 24th by Street & Smith’s, and 27th by the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.