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Cavaliers Back Home to Play Clemson Tuesday Night
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CHARLOTTESVILLE-The Virginia men’s basketball team returns to John Paul Jones Arena Tuesday night (Jan. 31) when the Cavaliers host Clemson in an Atlantic Coast Conference game that is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
Virginia enters the game with an overall record of 17-3 and a 4-2 record in the ACC. The Cavaliers have won their last two games, including a 61-60 victory at NC State on Saturday (Jan. 28), and will be playing their third game in six days.
In this week’s national rankings, UVa is ranked 16th in The Associated Press poll and 18th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.
Clemson enters the game with an overall record of 11-9 and a 3-3 record in the ACC. The Tigers have won their last two games, including a 71-60 victory over Wake Forest at home on Saturday (Jan. 28).
Single-game tickets for Virginia’s game with Clemson are available and can be purchased online at VirginiaSports.com/tickets. Tickets may also be purchased on game day at the JPJA box office starting at 5:30 p.m.
Fans may also purchase tickets for the Virginia-Clemson game through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office by telephone and in person. The Athletics ticket office is located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).
Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network. It will also be televised by ESPN2 and carried on ESPN3.
Senior forward Mike Scott led Virginia to its victory at NC State with a game-high 18 points and he also had five rebounds. Senior guard Sammy Zeglinski scored 12 points, had four rebounds and three assists, and sophomore guard Joe Harris scored 12 points and had five rebounds. It was UVa’s fourth consecutive win over the Wolfpack.
Scott leads Virginia in scoring and rebounding. He is averaging 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds a game, while shooting 57.4 percent (120-209) from the field and 80.4 percent (90-112) from the free-throw line. Scott ranks first among ACC players in field goal percentage, fourth in scoring, sixth in rebounding and ninth in free throw percentage through games of Jan. 29.
Harris is also averaging in double figures in scoring with an average of 12.3 points a game and Zeglinski is averaging 9.1 points a game. Zeglinski made four three-point baskets in the victory over NC State and moved into fifth place on the Cavaliers’ career list for three-pointers with 180.
Evans leads Virginia in assists (70) and steals (36). He ranks fourth among ACC players in steals (1.8 spg.) and fifth in assists (3.5 apg.).
As a team, UVa ranks first in the ACC in scoring defense (50.6), rebounding defense (28.1), turnover margin (+2.2) and defensive rebound percentage (76.0 percent).
Nationally the Cavaliers rank first in fewest assists allowed per game (7.3), second in scoring defense and points allowed per possession (0.83), fourth in opponents’ assist-to-turnover ratio (0.55), fifth in defensive rebounding percentage and 18th in field goal percentage defense (38.8 percent). Virginia has allowed points on just 43.0 percent of its opponents’ possessions this season and ranks third nationally in that department.
Virginia leads the series with Clemson 67-50 and also leads 40-16 in games played in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers have won two of the three games played at JPJA, including a 49-47 victory last season in the only game between the two teams. The home team has won the last four games in the series.
Senior guard Andre Young leads Clemson in scoring with an average of 13.9 points a game. Senior guard Tanner Smith is second in scoring at 11.1 points a game and he leads the team in assists (82, 4.1 apg.). Junior forward/center Devin Booker is averaging 10.7 points a game and leads the team in rebounding with an average of 6.8 rebounds a game. Junior forward Milton Jennings is averaging 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds a game.
Brad Brownell is in his second season as the head coach at Clemson. The Tigers compiled an overall record of 22-12 under his direction last season and participated in the NCAA Tournament. In his 10th season as a collegiate head coach, his teams have compiled an overall record of 200-106. Brownell was also the head coach at UNC Wilmington for four years and at Wright State for four years.
After the game with Clemson the Cavaliers return to action on Saturday (Feb. 4) at Florida State. That game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and will be televised by the ACC Network.