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Cavaliers End Stretch of Road Games at Virginia Tech on Sunday
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CHARLOTTESVILLE-The Virginia men’s basketball team plays the last of six consecutive games away from home on Sunday (Dec. 5) when the Cavaliers open Atlantic Coast Conference play with a game at Virginia Tech.
Sunday’s game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum. It will be broadcast by the Virginia Sports Radio Network and televised by Fox Sports Net.
The Cavaliers are coming off an 87-79 victory at No. 15 Minnesota in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Monday (Nov. 29) and are now 4-3 on the season. Virginia rallied from 10 points down at halftime and a 13-point deficit early in the second half to defeat the Golden Gophers. It was Minnesota’s first non-conference loss at home under head coach Tubby Smith and the victory was Virginia’s first road win over a ranked opponent since a 75-72 win at No. 17 Arizona during the 2007-08 season.
Freshman guard Joe Harris, senior guard Mustapha Farrakhan and senior forward Mike Scott led the Cavaliers to their victory at Minnesota.
Harris scored a season-high 24 points against the Golden Gophers. He was 8-12 from the field, including 4-6 from three-point range, and made all four of his free throw attempts.
Farrakhan scored a career-high 23 points, tied his career high with five rebounds and had a season-high four assists without a turnover against the Golden Gophers.
Scott had his third consecutive double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. He now has 22 career double-doubles and ranks ninth on UVa’s career list in that category.
Scott leads Virginia in scoring (16.6 ppg.) and rebounding (9.7 rpg.), while sophomore guard Jontel Evans leads the team in assists (32, 4.6 apg.). Harris (11.7 ppg.) and Farrakhan (10.3 ppg.) are also averaging in double figures in scoring for the Cavaliers.
Scott is ranked in a number of categories among ACC players in statistics through Dec. 2. He ranks second in defensive rebounds (6.4 pg.), fourth in rebounding (9.7 rpg.), fourth in minutes played (33.1 mpg.), fifth in field goal percentage (.488, 40-82), sixth in scoring (16.6 ppg.), sixth in offensive rebounds (3.3 pg) and eighth in free throw percentage (.878, 36-41).
Harris is shooting 50 percent (14-28) from three-point range and ranks third in the ACC in that department. Overall from the field he is shooting 55.4 percent (31-56) and he ranks tied for fourth among freshmen in the ACC in scoring at 11.7 points a game.
The Cavaliers will be without forward Will Sherrill for the game against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. He suffered a fractured fibula in his right leg during the second half of Virginia’s game at Minnesota.
It is uncertain how long the 6-9 senior, who has started the last four games, will be out of action. Because of the nature of the injury, Sherrill will progress as his tolerance to activity indicates and will play when he is functional without pain. It is anticipated that will be in less than six weeks.
One of Virginia’s tri-captains, the New York City native is averaging 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds a game through the Cavaliers first seven games. He is shooting 50 percent (16-32) from the field, including 54.5 percent (12-22) from three-point range.
Virginia leads the series with Virginia Tech 79-52, but the Hokies lead 28-15 in games played in Blacksburg during the series. Virginia Tech has won the last four meetings at Cassell Coliseum.
Virginia Tech also enters Sunday’s game with a record of 4-3. The Hokies are coming off a 58-55 overtime loss to Purdue at Cassell Coliseum on Wednesday (Dec. 1) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Senior guard Malcolm Delaney leads Virginia Tech and the ACC in scoring with an average of 19.6 points a game. He also leads Virginia Tech in assists with 25 (3.6 apg.). Senior forward Jeff Allen leads the Hokies in rebounding with an average of 8.3 a game and he is averaging 11.4 points a game. Senior guard Dorenzo Hudson is also averaging in double figures in scoring for Virginia Tech with an average of 10.3 points a game.
Seth Greenberg is in his eighth season as the head coach at Virginia Tech. His Virginia Tech teams have compiled an overall record of 136-97 and have participated in postseason play each of the last four seasons, including one NCAA Tournament invitation, and five times overall.
After the game at Virginia Tech on Sunday, the Cavaliers return to action on Tuesday (Dec. 7) when they return home to play Radford University at John Paul Jones Arena. That game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network.