Virginia Begins Two-Game Road Trip At Oregon On Sunday
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CHARLOTTESVILLE-The Virginia men’s basketball team returns to action after the semester exam break with a game at Oregon on Sunday (Dec. 18). The game will be the first for the Cavaliers since they defeated George Mason 68-48 at John Paul Jones Arena on Dec. 6.
The Oregon game is the first of a two-game road trip for UVa. The Cavaliers play at Seattle on Dec. 21.
Sunday’s game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. It will be broadcast by the Virginia Sports Radio Network and televised by Fox Sports Net (CSN+ in Virginia).
Virginia enters the game at Oregon with an overall record of 8-1 and the Cavaliers have won their last six games. Oregon is 6-2 on the season and the Ducks have won their last two games.
UVa has held each of its first nine opponents under 60 points and through games of Dec. 15 was ranked second in the nation in scoring defense (47.9 ppg.). It’s the first time the Cavaliers have held nine consecutive opponents under 60 points since the 1948-49 season. It is tied for the third longest streak in Atlantic Coast Conference history and is the longest by an ACC team since Wake Forest’s nine-game streak in 1996-97.
Virginia has held five of its opponents under 50 points and has now done that 12 times in the Tony Bennett era.
The Cavaliers are ranked first among ACC teams in scoring defense, rebounding defense (26.4), defensive rebounding percentage (78.5 percent) and turnover margin (+2.9), second in rebounding margin (+6.9), and third in field goal percentage defense (36.6 percent), three-point field goal percentage defense (26.3 percent) and assist/turnover ratio (1.0).
Offensively Virginia has shot over 50 percent from the field in four of its last five games. The Cavaliers shot a season-high 60.5 percent (26-43) in their victory over George Mason on Dec. 6. UVa currently ranks third among ACC teams in field goal percentage (47.7 percent) and ranks first in free throw percentage (74.2 percent).
Senior forward Mike Scott leads the Cavaliers in scoring (15.3 ppg.) and rebounding (9.1 rpg.). Scott is shooting 58.4 percent (45-77) from the field and 77.6 percent (45-58) from the free-throw line. He ranks first among ACC players in field goal percentage, third in rebounding, eighth in scoring and ninth in free throw percentage.
Sophomore guard Joe Harris is averaging 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds a game for Virginia. Harris, who is from Chelan, Wash., is shooting 90.6 percent (29-32) from the free-throw line and is ranked third among ACC players in that department.
Senior guard Sammy Zeglinski has scored in double figures in each of the last three games and is now averaging 9.0 points a game. Zeglinski led the Cavaliers with a season-high 18 points in the win over George Mason. He ranks third among ACC players in steals (2.1 spg.), is fifth in three-point field goal percentage (41.2 percent, 14-34) and is tied for fifth in three-point field goals made (2.0 pg.).
Four other Virginia players are averaging between 7.1 and 5.8 points a game, including freshman guard Malcolm Brogdon (7.1), junior guard Jontel Evans (6.4), senior center Assane Sene (6.1) and sophomore guard KT Harrell (5.8).
Evans leads the team in assists with 27 and ranks tied for eighth among ACC players in that department with an average of 3.0 a game. He ranks eighth in steals with an average of 1.4 a game.
Virginia and Oregon have met only once previously with the Cavaliers winning 63-48 at John Paul Jones Arena last season. Oregon is a member of the Pac-12 Conference.
Senior guard Devoe Joseph is a transfer from Minnesota and has played in the last two games for Oregon. Joseph is averaging 15.5 points and 5.0 assists a game.
Also averaging in double figures in scoring for the Ducks are junior forward E. J. Singler (13.0 ppg.) and senior guard Garrett Sim (13.0 ppg.). Singler is Oregon’s top rebounder with an average of 4.8 rebounds a game.
Dana Altman is in his second season as the head coach at Oregon and the Ducks have compiled an overall record of 27-20 under his direction. Oregon finished the 2010-11 season with an overall record of 21-18 and won the College Basketball Invitational.
Altman is in his 23rd year as a head coach at the Division I level. He has also been the head coach at Creighton, Kansas State and Marshall.