Cavaliers Host Boston College on Wednesday
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CHARLOTTESVILLEThe Virginia men’s basketball team returns to John Paul Jones Arena on Wednesday (Feb. 4) when the Cavaliers host Boston College in an Atlantic Coast Conference game. Wednesday’s game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be televised by ESPNU.
Virginia enters the game with Boston College with an overall record of 7-10 and a 1-5 record in the ACC. The Cavaliers will be trying to break a five-game losing streak after dropping a 79-54 decision at Duke on Sunday (Feb. 1).
Freshman guard Sylven Landesberg scored a game-high 20 points for the Cavaliers in the loss at Duke, marking the 10th time this season he’s scored at least 20 points in a game and establishing a UVa freshman record. The previous record for 20-point games in a season by a Virginia freshman was nine by Ralph Sampson during the 1979-80 season.
Landesberg was 8-10 from the field against the Blue Devils, made his only three-point field goal attempt and he made all three of his free throw attempts.
Sophomore forward Mike Scott was the only other Virginia player to score in double figures with 10 points. It was the eighth time in the last nine games Scott has scored in double figures.
Freshman guard Sammy Zeglinski added eight points and five assists for the Cavaliers against the Blue Devils.
For the season, Landesberg is averaging 17.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 32.4 minutes played a game, and is shooting 84.6 percent (104-123) from the free throw line. He leads the team in scoring and is second in rebounding. Landesberg ranks sixth in the conference in free throw percentage, seventh in minutes played and eighth in scoring.
Among freshmen in the ACC, Landesberg ranks first in scoring, second in minutes played, third in rebounding and fourth in assists.
Scott leads the team in rebounding with an average of 8.4 rebounds a game and is second on the team in scoring with an average of 11.2 points a game. He is shooting 54.8 percent (74-135) from the field. Scott ranks first in the ACC in offensive rebounds with an average of 3.9 offensive rebounds a game and he is sixth in overall rebounding.
Zeglinski leads the team in assists with an average of 3.6 a game and he is averaging 9.8 points a game. He also leads the team in steals (26, 1.5 spg.) and in three-point field goals made (25). Zeglinski ranks seventh in the ACC in assists.
Junior forward Jamil Tucker is averaging 8.1 points a game, while junior guard Calvin Baker is averaging 7.9 points and 2.6 assists a game. Freshman center Assane Sene leads Virginia in blocked shots with 25 (1.9 bpg.) and ranks third in the ACC in that department.
As a team, Virginia is averaging 73.1 points a game and allowing an average of 73.2 points a game.
Boston College comes to Charlottesville with an overall record of 17-6 and a 5-3 record in the ACC. The Eagles have won their last four games, including a 67-66 victory at home over Virginia Tech last Saturday (Jan. 31).
Senior guard Tyrese Rice leads Boston College with averages of 17.9 points, 5.7 assists and 33.0 minutes played a game. He also leads the team in steals (36, 1.6 spg.). Rice ranks second in the ACC in assists, third in free throw percentage (86.3 percent, 120-139), fifth in minutes played, sixth in assist to turnover ratio (1.6), seventh in scoring and ninth in steals.
Also averaging in double figures in scoring for the Eagles are sophomore forward Joe Trapani (13.7 ppg.), sophomore guard/forward Rakim Sanders (12.2 ppg.) and sophomore forward Corey Raji (10.9 ppg.). Trapani leads Boston College in rebounding with an average of 7.0 rebounds a game and Raji is averaging 6.6 rebounds a game.
Boston College is scoring an average of 76.2 points a game and allowing an average of 69.4 points a game.
Al Skinner is in his 12th year as the head coach of the Eagles. His Boston College teams have compiled an overall record of 227-143 and participated in the NCAA Tournament six times. Skinner was also the head coach at Rhode Island for nine years (138-126) before taking over the head coaching responsibilities at Boston College.
Virginia leads the series with Boston College 6-1 and the Cavaliers defeated the Eagles twice last season. UVa won 84-66 at John Paul Jones Arena and 79-74 in Chestnut Hill, Mass. In games played in Charlottesville during the series, Virginia leads 3-0 with last season’s game the only one played between the teams at John Paul Jones Arena.
After the Boston College game, the Cavaliers return to action on Saturday (Feb. 7) at North Carolina. That game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. and will be televised by the Raycom Network.