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Jan. 26, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –
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The Game
Virginia enters tonight’s game with a 10-6 overall record and a 1-5 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers are coming off an 81-79 win over Clemson (Jan. 22) at University Hall that snapped a four-game losing streak.
Virginia Tech stands at 10-6 overall and 3-2 in the ACC. The Hokies are coming off a 70-69 win (Jan. 22) over 12th-ranked Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga. Virginia Tech has won its last four games.
The Series vs. Virginia Tech
Virginia leads the series with Virginia Tech 73-45. Last season, UVa recorded an 80-65 win (Nov. 28) in Charlottesville. Virginia Tech snapped the Cavaliers’ six-game winning streak in the series with a 73-55 victory (Jan. 21) in Blacksburg in the 2002-03 season.
On December 1, 2001, Virginia defeated the Hokies 69-61 in Charlottesville for its sixth consecutive victory in the series. In the 2000-01 season, the Cavaliers defeated Virginia Tech 64-48 (Nov. 24) in Blacksburg. Tech’s 48 points are the fewest scored in the series by either team since the second meeting of the 1947-48 season when UVa was held to 43 points (Tech won 57-43 in Blacksburg). It was also the fewest points the Hokies scored in a game in the series since scoring 29 points versus UVa in the 1945-46 season (UVa won 57-29 in Charlottesville). Virginia has won 13 of the last 16 meetings and 24 of the last 30.
This is only the fifth time since the 1975-76 season the game will not be played on a neutral floor. Over the past 29 years (34 games), the series has been held at the Richmond Coliseum (14 times), Roanoke Civic Center (13 times), Cassell Coliseum (three times, including tonight), The Norfolk Scope (once), the Hampton Coliseum (once), and University Hall (twice).
The Cavaliers are 14-23 all-time in games played in Blacksburg. UVa’s 64-48 victory (Nov. 24) in the 2000-01 season snapped Virginia’s 13-game losing streak in Blacksburg. UVa’s last win in Blacksburg prior to the 64-48 victory was a 95-73 triumph in the 1953-54 season.
This is the 71st consecutive season the Cavaliers and Hokies have met (every season since 1934-35). They have played 98 games in that span. Virginia’s next oldest opponent in terms of consecutive seasons played isMaryland (58 straight seasons).
The Cavaliers’ 73 wins against Virginia Tech make the Hokies Virginia’s second-most defeated opponent in school history. UVa has defeated VMI a record 100 times.
This is the 119th meeting in the series, the fifth-most played series in school history. North Carolina is Virginia’s most frequent opponent with the two teams having met 163 times.
Conference Opponent
Tonight’s game is the first time Virginia and Virginia Tech are meeting as conference opponents in 68 years.
The last time the two teams played as conference opponents was back in the 1936-37 season when both schools were members of the Southern Conference. The Cavaliers left the Southern Conference after the 1936-37 season.
The two teams met twice on neutral courts in 1936-37. The Hokies won 29-28 (Feb. 11) in Lynchburg, while UVa won 40-22 (Feb. 19) in Roanoke.
First ACC Win
After falling short in its first five ACC games, Virginia earned its first conference win of the season with an 81-79 victory over Clemson (Jan. 22) in Charlottesville. UVa’s 0-5 start in the ACC marked the first time since the 1998-99 season the Cavaliers lost their first five conference games. Oddly enough a home win over then #25 Clemson (Jan. 17, 1999) was Virginia’s first ACC win that year as well.
Among the NCAA Leaders
Through games played January 24, Elton Brown is tied for 18th among all Division I players with 9.4 rebounds per game. He has pulled down 151 rebounds in 16 games this season.