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UVa Plays Final Game of Regular Season at Maryland on Sunday
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CHARLOTTESVILLE-The Virginia men’s basketball team concludes its 2011-12 regular-season schedule on Sunday (March 4) when the Cavaliers play an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Maryland. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m.
Virginia takes an overall record of 21-8 and an 8-7 record in the ACC into Sunday’s game. The Cavaliers have lost their last two games, including a 63-60 loss to Florida State on Thursday (March 1) at John Paul Jones Arena when the Seminoles’ Ian Miller hit a last second three-point shot for the game winner.
UVa is ranked 24th in this week’s Associated Press poll.
Maryland is 16-13 overall this season and 6-9 in the ACC. The Terrapins have also lost their last two games and are coming off an 88-64 loss at North Carolina on Wednesday (Feb. 29).
Sunday’s game will be broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network. The game will also be televised by the ACC Network and carried on ESPN3 (blacked out in certain areas).
The Virginia-Maryland game is the second between the two teams this season. The Cavaliers defeated the Terrapins 71-44 in Charlottesville on Feb. 18. UVa senior forward Mike Scott scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Virginia to the victory.
In UVa’s last second loss to Florida State on Thursday, Scott had a double-double with game-high totals of 28 points and 10 rebounds. The 28 points are a career high for Scott in an ACC game and the double-double was the 32nd of his career (eighth this season).
Scott continues to lead Virginia in scoring and rebounding. He is averaging 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds a game, while shooting 57.4 percent (189-329) from the field and 82.5 percent (118-143) from the free-throw line. Scott ranks first among ACC players in field goal percentage, third in scoring, tied for fifth in rebounding and sixth in free throw percentage.
Harris is also averaging in double figures in scoring for the Cavaliers with an average of 11.4 points a game and Zeglinski is averaging 8.4 points a game. Zeglinski ranks tied for fourth among ACC players in steals (42, 1.6 spg. in 27 games).
Evans leads the Cavaliers in assists (109) and steals (44). He ranks fifth among ACC players in assists (3.8 apg.) and sixth in steals (1.5 spg.).
As a team, Virginia ranks first in the ACC in scoring defense (52.6), rebounding defense (29.0) and defensive rebounding percentage (74.7 percent).
Nationally the Cavaliers rank first in points allowed per possession (0.87) and assists per game by opponents (8.0), second in scoring defense, fourth in defensive rebounding percentage and opponents’ assist percentage (41.5 percent), seventh in opponents’ assist-to-turnover ratio (0.61), ninth in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.7 percent) and 19th in field goal percentage defense (39.0 percent). Virginia has allowed points on just 44.1 percent of its opponents’ possessions this season and ranks third nationally in that department.
Maryland leads the series with Virginia 106-70, including a 60-22 advantage in games played in College Park, Md. The Terrapins lead 6-3 in games played at the Comcast Center. UVa has won the last two games in the series, including a 74-60 victory at the Comcast Center last season.
Sophomore guard Terrell Stoglin leads Maryland and the ACC in scoring with an average of 21.0 points a game. Senior guard Sean Mosley is also averaging in double figures in scoring for the Terrapins with an average of 10.1 points a game.
Mark Turgeon is in his first season as the head coach at Maryland. Turgeon was previously the head coach at Texas A&M for four years, at Wichita State for seven years and at Jacksonville State for two years. His four Texas A&M teams compiled an overall record of 97-40 and participated in the NCAA Tournament each season. He has an overall record of 266-172 as a collegiate head coach.
After the game at Maryland on Sunday, Virginia will participate in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Atlanta, Ga. The tournament is scheduled for March 8-11 at Philips Arena.