Cavaliers Return Home For Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Story Links

CHARLOTTESVILLEThe Virginia men’s basketball team returns to John Paul Jones Arena on Tuesday (Nov. 27) to face Northwestern in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be televised by ESPNU.

The Cavaliers are facing Northwestern in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge for the third time in the last four seasons. Virginia won 48-44 at Northwestern in the 2004 Challenge and defeated the Wildcats 72-57 in Charlottesville in 2005. Those two games are the only games in the series between Virginia and Northwestern.

UVa has a 4-3 record in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge and is 3-0 at home. Last season, the Cavaliers lost at Purdue 61-59.

Virginia (5-1) is coming off its first defeat of the season, a 74-60 loss to Seton Hall in the Philly Hoop Group Classic at the Palestra in Philadelphia on Saturday (Nov. 24). The Cavaliers had season low shooting figures of 32.8 percent (20-61) from the field and 25.0 percent (7-28) from three-point range against the Pirates.

For the season, three players are averaging in double figures in scoring for Virginia. Senior guard Sean Singletary leads the Cavaliers in scoring with an average of 21.5 points a game and in assists at 6.3 a game. Junior forward/guard Mamadi Diane is averaging 11.5 points a game, while senior forward Adrian Joseph is averaging 11.3 points and a team-leading 8.7 rebounds a game.

Northwestern enters Tuesday’s game with an overall record of 1-3 after a 73-67 loss to Brown at home on Saturday. Freshman guard Michael Thompson leads the Wildcats with averages of 15.3 points and 5.5 assists a game. Junior guard Craig Moore is averaging 12.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game, while junior guard/forward Sterling Williams and senior guard Jason Okrzesik both average 10.0 points a game.

Virginia’s game with Northwestern is the first of six consecutive home games for the Cavaliers.