Virginia Men's Basketball Travels To Maryland For Tuesday Contest
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Feb. 6, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –
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The Game
Virginia enters tonight’s Atlantic Coast Conference game with an 11-8 overall record and a 5-4 mark in the ACC. The Cavaliers snapped a two-game losing streak with a 75-73 victory over Wake Forest (Feb. 4) at University Hall.
Maryland stands at 14-7 overall and 4-4 in the ACC. The Terrapins have lost their last three games and are coming off a 62-58 loss to 18th-ranked NC State (Feb. 5) in Raleigh, N.C.
The Series vs. Maryland
Maryland leads the series with Virginia 99-64 in a rivalry that dates back to the 1912-13 season. UVa has lost the last four meetings in the series, including both contests last season. In the first meeting of the 2004-05 season, UVa fell 82-68 (Jan. 19) in College Park and the Cavaliers lost 92-89 in double overtime (Feb. 19) in Charlottesville.
The Cavaliers lost both games in the 2003-04 season to Maryland. The Terrapins won 71-67 (Feb. 4) in Charlottesville, snapping UVa’s two-game winning streak in the series. Maryland earned a sweep in the season series with a 70-61 win (Mar. 7) in College Park.
UVa snapped a three-game losing streak (and a nine-game slide at Maryland) with an 86-78 victory (Feb. 6) at Comcast Center in the 2002-03 season. Virginia completed the 2002-03 season series sweep with an 80-78 overtime victory (Mar. 9) in Charlottesville. It marked the Cavaliers’ first season sweep of Maryland since the 1992-93 campaign.
In the 2001-02 season, the Terrapins won 91-87 (Jan. 31) in Charlottesville in the first meeting and 112-92 (Mar. 3) in the final game at Cole Field House. In 2000-01, UVa split a pair of games with Maryland with each team winning at home. Virginia earned a 99-78 victory (Jan. 31) in the first meeting of 2000-01 in Charlottesville. Maryland gained a split in the season series with a 102-67 victory (Mar. 3) in College Park.
Virginia has lost seven of the last 11 and 17 of the last 24 contests in the series with Maryland since winning five consecutive games between 1992-1994.
This is the 59th consecutive season the Cavaliers and Terrapins have met (every season since 1947-48), Virginia’s second-oldest opponent in terms of consecutive seasons met. They have played 125 games in that span. (Virginia’s oldest opponent in terms of consecutive seasons played is Virginia Tech–71 straight seasons).
The Terrapins lead 56-20 in games played in College Park during the series. UVa won only 13 of 47 meetings at Cole Field House. In its first appearance at the Comcast Center, UVa registered an 86-78 victory over then eighth-ranked Maryland (Feb. 6, 2003). The victory snapped the Cavaliers’ nine-game losing streak at Maryland. The Cavaliers’ previous victory in College Park was a 70-68 win on Feb. 4, 1993. Virginia is 1-2 all-time at Comcast Center.
Five of the Cavaliers’ last six wins over the Terrapins (1995, 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2003) have occurred at University Hall.
A Nailbiter Could be in the Offing
The recent series with Maryland has featured quite a few close games. Since 1987, 25 of 39 games have been decided by nine points or less, with Virginia winning 12 of the close games. In the last 19 years there have also been five overtime games, with Virginia winning three of the five games.
A breakdown of the close games in the series since the 1986-87 season is below:
2 points - 63 points - 14 points - 35 points - 26 points - 37 points - 58 points - 39 points - 2
Five ACC Wins
After just nine ACC games this season, Virginia surpassed its conference win total of four from 2004-05. UVa was 4-2 after six games this season, marking the first time since the 2001-02 season it was two games over .500 in conference play (also 4-2).
The Cavaliers are currently 5-4 in the ACC and one more win would equal the team’s conference win totals in 2002-03 and 2003-04.
32 or 96
Sean Singletary, J.R. Reynolds and Adrian Joseph have combined to make 96 three-point field goals this season. Interestingly, all three have drained 32 three-pointers this season.
Joseph only made 14 three-pointers all of last season. Singletary is just two three-pointers shy of his single season high of 34. Reynolds’ all-time best in terms of three-pointers made is 51 last season.