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Cavaliers Continue Play In Maui Invitational
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Nov. 26, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –
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The Game
Virginia (2001-2002: 17-12/7-9 ACC) opened the 19th annual Maui Invitational with an 86-72 victory over host Chaminade University Monday (Nov. 25) at the Lahaina Civic Center to improve to 2-0 on the season. The Cavaliers opened the 2002-2003 season with a 90-86 win over Long Island (Nov. 22) in University Hall. Kentucky (2001-2002: 22-10/10-6 SEC) is ranked 15th in the AP Poll and 16th in the USAToday/ESPN Poll. The Wildcats opened the 2002-2003 season with an 82-65 victory over Arizona State Monday (Nov. 25) in the Maui Invitational.
The Series vs. Kentucky
Today’s game is Virginia’s ninth meeting with Kentucky with the Wildcats leading the series 6-2. The game marks the first meeting between the two schools in over 35 years. After UVa won the first two meetings (39-23 in the 1913-14 season and 32-30 in overtime in the 1921-22 season), the Wildcats have won six consecutive games in the series. December 3, 1966 was the last time Virginia played Kentucky with the third-ranked Wildcats recording a 104-84 victory in Lexington.
‘Hoos Next
The Cavaliers will play either Indiana or Gonzaga in their final game of the Maui Invitational on Wednesday, November 27. If UVa defeats Kentucky, the Cavaliers advance to the championship game and will play at 9:30 p.m. If Virginia loses to the Wildcats, it will play Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time in the third/fourth place game.
UVa is 1-1 all-time against Indiana and 0-1 against Gonzaga.
Virginia vs. the Southeastern Conference
Virginia is 15-22 (.405) against the SEC all-time dating back to that league’s first season in 1932-33. In their last matchup against an SEC team, the Cavaliers lost to South Carolina 74-67 in the first round of the 2002 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) last season (Mar. 13) at University Hall.
Taking games played when a school was in the SEC only, the series looks like this (records listed for UVa): vs. Alabama 1-4, Arkansas 0-2, Auburn 1-0, Florida 1-0, Georgia Tech 0-1, Georgia 2-1, Kentucky 0-4, Louisiana State 1-0, Mississippi 1-0, Mississippi State 1-1, South Carolina 1-2, Tennessee 5-2, and Vanderbilt 1-5. Virginia has never played Sewanee or Tulane while those schools were members of the SEC. (Please note that Virginia has played all of these schools, but not while they were members of the SEC.)
In all games against the 12 current SEC members, Virginia is 51-54 (.486).
Three Experimental Rules Being Used
Three experimental rules will be used in the Maui Invitational. The three experimental rules are:
* Widening the free-throw lane by two feet on each side (a repeat of this past season’s experimental rule).
* Moving the three-point line nine inches behind the current three-point line to create a new experimental distance of 20 feet, 6 inches.
* Relocating the free throw lane block between the first free throw lane space adjacent to the end line and the next lane space on both sides of the lane.
Another Double-Double
Senior forward/center Travis Watson has picked up where he left off last season as he recorded double-doubles in the first two games of the season. With the two double-doubles, Watson has 40 in his career which trails only Ralph Sampson’s school record 84 career double-doubles. Watson opened the season with 26 points and 13 rebounds in UVa’s 90-86 win over Long Island (Nov. 22). He tallied 16 points and 14 boards in the Cavaliers’ 86-72 victory over Chaminade (Nov. 25). Watson’s 40 career double-doubles are the most of any active ACC player. Watson, who recorded an ACC-best 17 double-doubles last year, also had double-doubles in both of UVa’s 2002-2003 exhibition games.
Brown Nets New Career High for Points
Sophomore forward Elton Brown established a new career high for points in a game when he scored 22 in UVa’s 86-72 victory over Chaminade (Nov. 25). Brown, who surpassed his old career best of 20 points against Georgia Tech (Jan. 22, 2002), made eight of 13 shots from the floor and five of seven attempts from the charity stripe.