Virginia Men's Basketball Hosts NC State Wednesday Evening
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March 1, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –
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The Game
Virginia enters tonight’s game with a 13-12 overall record and a 4-10 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers are coming off a 90-68 loss to sixth-ranked Wake Forest (Feb. 27) in Winston-Salem, N.C.
NC State stands at 16-11 overall and 6-8 in the ACC. The Wolfpack is coming off a 74-54 victory over Virginia Tech (Feb. 26) in Raleigh, N.C.
The Series vs. NC State
NC State leads the overall series with Virginia 76-51 (dating back to 1912-13). The Cavaliers stopped a two-game slide to NC State with a 64-62 win (Feb. 5) in Raleigh, as well as a seven-game losing streak at NC State.
Last season, the Wolfpack took an 86-69 decision (Dec. 28) in Raleigh and also posted a 79-63 win (Feb. 7) over UVa in Charlottesville.
The Wolfpack won the first meeting of the 2002-03 season 75-63 (Jan. 5) in Raleigh. The Cavaliers snapped a five-game losing streak to NC State with a 61-58 victory (Feb. 9) in Charlottesville. In the 2001-02 season, NC State earned three wins over UVa – 81-74 (Jan. 5) in Charlottesville, 85-68 (Feb. 6) in Raleigh, and 92-72 (Mar. 8) in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament in Charlotte.
Despite winning only twice in the last nine meetings, the Cavaliers have won 17 of 29 contests against NCSU in the last 14 seasons. Since 1980, the Cavaliers are 34-22 in all games against the Wolfpack.
The two teams have split the regular season series five times in the last seven seasons (NCSU, however, has won all three ACC Tournament matchups during the same span – 2000, 2001 and 2002). When NC State swept the 2001-02 regular season series, it marked the Wolfpack’s first sweep over UVa since winning both matchups (by a combined seven points) in 1988. Virginia has swept the season series six times since then, but the last time UVa swept the season series was in the 1996-97 season.
The Cavaliers have won 23 of the last 27 games between the two teams at University Hall. UVa had its 13-game home winning streak over the Wolfpack snapped in the 2001-02 season (81-74 – Jan. 5). UVa also lost to the Wolfpack 79-63 (Feb. 7) last season in Charlottesville. State’s previous two wins in Charlottesville during that stretch came in 1985 and 1988 by a combined margin of three points.
Virginia is 25-13 against the Wolfpack at University Hall and 31-22 in Charlottesville.
Senior Night
Tonight’s game against NC State marks the final regular season home game at University Hall for two Cavaliers – captains Elton Brown and Devin Smith.
Cavaliers and Wolfpack Battle to the Wire
The history of the series between these two schools since the late 1970s has been one marked by many closely contested games. Since 1978, 40 of the 61 games have been decided by less than 10 points. UVa is 28-12 (.700) in those games.
Virginia’s last 10 wins (going back 10 seasons) over the Wolfpack have been by a combined 45 points (4.5/g).
Since 1978, four games have been decided by one point, six by two points, seven by three points, three by four points and three by five points.
It’s curious to note in the long history of the series going back to the first meeting 92 years ago that only three games have gone to overtime. Virginia has been victorious in all three overtime contests. UVa won the first overtime game 81-73 in 1977-78 and won 84-82 in double overtime in 1995-96. In the most recent overtime affair, the Cavaliers won 82-79 in 1998-99. During one stretch (1985-1988) nine consecutive games were decided by nine points or less.
In a bit of an aberration, 10 of the last 12 NC State wins in the series have been by double digits–67-54 in 1994, 74-55 in 1998, 82-72 in 1999, 76-65 in 2000, 90-80 in 2001, 85-68, 92-72 in 2002, 75-63 in 2003, and 86-69 and 79-63 last season. The exceptions were a 65-62 Wolfpack win on Jan. 12, 2000, and an 81-74 win on Jan. 5, 2002.