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Nov. 12, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –
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Television
Tonight’s game will be televised by Fox Sports Net South, Fox Sports Net Florida, New England Sports Network, and Comcast Sports Net in Virginia. Bob Rathbun will handle the play-by-play. Dan Bonner and Bob Elliott are the analysts.
Radio
All UVa games are heard on the Virginia Sports Network originating at the Charlottesville Radio Group and WINA-AM/WWWV-FM in Charlottesville. Mac McDonald calls the play-by-play. Jim Hobgood provides the analysis.
The Game
Virginia won its only exhibition game of the 2006-07 season 78-63 over Division II Augusta State Nov. 4 at the John Paul Jones Arena. The Cavaliers finished the 2005-06 season with a 15-15 record and tied for seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 7-9 record. UVa lost to Stanford 65-49 (Mar. 14) in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament.
Arizona finished the 2005-06 season with a 20-13 overall record and an 11-7 mark in the Pac 10. The Wildcats are ranked 10th in The Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Top 25 polls. Arizona fell to Villanova 82-78 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats played a pair of exhibition games, defeating Team Georgia 125-74 (Nov. 4) and the University of Victoria 111-56 (Nov. 8).
A New Era
A new era of Virginia basketball begins this evening as UVa takes the floor for the first time in the state-of-the art John Paul Jones Arena. The arena, which officially opened in August of 2006, seats 15,219 for basketball games.
Cavaliers Open Season Tonight
Virginia begins the 2006-07 season, its 102nd overall and the second under head coach Dave Leitao, on Sunday (Nov. 12), when the Cavaliers host 10th-ranked Arizona at 7:00 p.m. in the John Paul Jones Arena.
UVa is 81-20 (.802) all-time in season openers. The Cavaliers have won eight consecutive and 17 of their last 19 season openers dating back to 1987-88. Virginia’s last loss in a season opener was in 1997-98 when it dropped an 83-79 double overtime decision at Richmond (Nov. 16).
The Cavaliers won their last nine season openers at their former home – University Hall. UVa’s last loss in a home opener was a 77-36 setback to Connecticut in the 1993-94 season.
Head Coach Dave Leitao
Dave Leitao is in his second season as the Cavaliers’ head coach. In his first season at UVa in 2005-06, Virginia posted a 15-15 record and compiled a 7-9 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Virginia tied for seventh in the ACC standings after being picked 12th in the ACC Preseason Media Poll.
UVa advanced to the 2006 National Invitation Tournament, but fell in the first round to Stanford 65-49 (Mar. 14). Virginia’s appearance in the NIT marked the fourth consecutive postseason apperance by a Leitao-coached team. Leitao led DePaul to three straight postseason bids, including the NCAA Tournament in 2004.
In six seasons as a head coach, Dave Leitao has a career record of 95-84.
Leitao is 0-1 all-time vs. Arizona as a head coach.
Leitao has coached in 28 games against AP ranked teams and is 7-21. Against top 10 AP teams, Leitao is 0-9. He was 0-4 against ranked teams in two seasons at Northeastern, 5-11 vs. ranked opponents in three years at DePaul, and 2-6 against ranked foes at UVa. Virginia’s 72-58 win over 11th-ranked Boston College (Feb. 21) marked the highest ranked opponent a Leitao coached team has defeated. The previous highest ranked opponent Leitao beat was 13th-ranked Cincinnati – 68-65 (Mar. 4, 2004) while he was the head coach at DePaul.