Cavaliers To Ring In New Year By Hosting Iowa State Wednesday Evening

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Dec. 30, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –

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The Game
Virginia (2002-2003: 16-16/6-10 ACC) stands at 8-1 overall and 0-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2003-2004 season. The Cavaliers are coming off an 86-69 loss to N.C. State (Dec. 28) in Raleigh, N.C. Iowa State (2002-2003: 17-14/5-11 Big 12) stands at 7-0 on the season after defeating Xavier 68-61 (Dec. 23) in Ames, Iowa. The Cyclones are one of 13 undefeated teams this season (through games played December 29).

The Series vs. Iowa State
Tonight’s game is the first meeting between Virginia and Iowa State in men’s basketball. The Cyclones are the fourth opponent in 2003-2004 UVa is playing for the first time. The Cavaliers also had first-time matchups against Mount St. Mary’s – Nov. 23, High Point – Nov. 30, and Loyola Marymount – Dec. 19 earlier this season.

Virginia vs. the Big 12 Conference
Given the geographic disparity of the Big 12 Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference, it isn’t surprising that Virginia rarely plays schools from the Big 12.

Against the 12 current members of the Big 12, the Cavaliers are 6-8 all-time. The Cavaliers are 4-1 vs. Missouri, 1-1 vs. Oklahoma, 1-2 vs. Kansas, and 0-1 vs. Baylor, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.

Virginia has played only three games against teams when they were a member of the Big 12 Conference (the Big 12 was formed in the 1996-97 season). In the first game, the Cavaliers lost to Nebraska 80-65 in the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 27, 1997. In the 2000-2001 season, UVa defeated Missouri 85-72 on January 20, 2001 in Charlottesville. In the most recent meeting against a Big 12 team, Virginia lost to Missouri 81-77 on February 3, 2002 in Columbia, Mo.

Prior to the 2001 win over Missouri, the Cavaliers’ last victory over one of the Big 12’s current teams was in the 1994-95 season. Virginia defeated Kansas 67-58 in the “Sweet 16” of the 1995 NCAA Tournament on March 24 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo.

Ringing in the New Year
The Cavaliers rarely ring in the New Year with a game on New Year’s Eve. UVa is only 1-2 in games played on December 31 since 1950 and all three games were on the road. (There are only eight other possible seasons (in the 30s and 40s) where UVa could have played on New Year’s Eve – but those game dates are unknown).

Virginia last played on New Year’s Eve in 1964 – a 64-61 win at Canisius.

Here's a list of UVa's known New Year's Eve games:	1964     at Canisius           Win, 64-61	1956     at Kentucky Wesleyan  Lost, 82-72	1951     at Lawrence Tech      Lost, 75-72