Virginia vs. Tennessee Postgame Notes

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March 18, 2007

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2007 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship
Second Round
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
March 18, 2007
No. 5 Tennessee 77, No. 4 Virginia 74

Postgame Notes and Records

Today’s game was the 11th meeting between Virginia and Tennessee. The Cavaliers hold a 7-4 edge in the series.

Tennessee now is 11-15 all-time in NCAA Tournament play. Virginia now is 22-16 in NCAA Tournament games.

This was the third meeting between Virginia and Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament. The two previous games went to Virginia in 1981 and 1982, when the Cavaliers were No. 1 seeds in the tournament.

Tennessee’s last Sweet 16 appearance was during the 2000 Tournament, where it lost to North Carolina, 74-69, in the regional semifinals. Like 2000, when Tennessee played in the regional in Austin, Texas, the Vols will travel to the Lone Star state for South Regional action in San Antonio this year.

Tennessee now advances to the South Regional where it will face a rematch with Ohio State in the Sweet 16. Earlier this season the Buckeyes defeated Tennessee 68-66 in Columbus Jan. 13. Tennessee is 0-3 all-time vs. Ohio State. The teams have never met in the NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee has trailed at halftime in eight games this season, including today’s 38-35 deficit. They are now 4-4 in those games.

Tennessee began the second half with a 14-4 run, turning a 38-35 deficit into a 49-42 lead. Virginia never reclaimed the lead after a JaJuan Smith layup put Tennessee ahead 44-42 with 15:05 remaining.

Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl is 5-3 in NCAA Tournament games (3-1 at Tennessee, 2-2 at Wisconsin-Milwaukee).

Virginia’s last trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 was in 1995, when it advanced to the Regional final before losing to Arkansas, 68-61.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao has a 2-2 record in NCAA Tournament games (1-1 at DePaul, 1-1 with Virginia).

The teams combined to make 53 of 68 free throws in the game.

UVa’s 21 wins this season are the most since the team went 25-9 in 1994-95.

Virginia’s J.R. Reynolds had the best back-to-back scoring performances in the NCAA Tournament for the Cavaliers (28 vs. Albany and 26 vs. Tennessee) since Bryant Stith had 26 vs. Middle Tennessee State (second round) and 28 vs. Oklahoma (Sweet 16) in 1989.

Today’s game marked the first time this season UVa guards J.R. Reynolds (26 points) and Sean Singletary (19 points) combined for 40 or more points and the Cavaliers lost. UVa entered the game 8-0 this season when that duo combined to score 40 or more points.

Virginia’s free throw totals today (31-36) were the most by the Cavaliers since going 39-49 vs. Maryland Jan. 16. The Cavaliers were 15-18 from the line vs. Albany for a two-day total of 46-54.

UVa’s J.R. Reynolds had 22 points in the first half of today’s game after scoring 23 in the opening half in the first round against Albany. That was a school record for most points in the first half of a NCAA game.

Jason Cain was 9-for-10 from the free throw line, both career highs.

Virginia senior guard J.R. Reynolds scored 26 points today to finish his career at 1,683. After the Albany game, Reynolds moved into 10th place on UVa’s career scoring list.

Virginia’s Adrian Joseph had 10 points today. That was his first double-figure scoring game since he had a season-high 17 vs. Florida State Feb. 17.

Cavalier junior Sean Singletary has now scored in double figures in 22-consecutive games.

UVa’s backcourt of Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds both scored in double figures for the 22nd-consecutive game.

When J.R. Reynolds hit a jumper with 13:27 to go in the first half to record his 10th point in the game, it marked the 22nd-consecutive contest the Cavalier senior guard has scored in double figures. Reynolds has scored at least 20 points 13 times this year and 26 times during his career.

When Tennessee scored at 18:00 to take an 8-5 lead, it marked the first time during the tournament the Cavaliers trailed during a game.

Virginia scored first in both its first and second-round games.