No. 4 Virginia Hosts Marshall on New Year’s Eve

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 4 Virginia (11-0) closes out non-conference action by hosting Marshall (7-5) on Monday (Dec. 31). Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 1 p.m. on the Regional Sports Network.
 
For Openers
• Virginia meets Marshall for the first time since 1992.
• A win over Marshall would give Virginia head coach Tony Bennett 300 career wins.
• The Cavaliers have started 11-0 for the first time since starting 19-0 in 2014-15.
• UVA is 71-6 (.922) in home nonconference action and 125-35 (.780) in non-league play overall under Bennett.
 
Broadcast Information
• The Virginia-Marshall game will be televised on the Regional Sports Network and streamed online on ACC Network Extra (WatchESPN.com) and broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network, VirginiaSports.com and Virginia Sports app.
• Live statistics will be located on VirginiaSports.com and the Virginia Sports app.
 
The Head Coach
• Three-time National and ACC Coach of the Year Tony Bennett has a 230-86 (.728) mark in 10 seasons at Virginia and 299-119 (.716) career mark in 13 seasons overall.
 • In 2017-18, Bennett led Virginia to its eighth ACC regular-season title, third ACC Tournament championship, school-record 31 wins, ACC-record 17 league wins and ACC-record 9-0 mark on the road.
• Bennett was named the USBWA Henry Iba National Coach of the Year for the third time to rank second all-time behind legendary John Wooden, who captured the award six times.
 
UVA Ranked No. 4 in AP Poll
• Virginia is ranked No. 4 in the last AP poll and No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• The Cavaliers have been ranked in the top six in the AP poll for eight consecutive weeks.
• UVA has been ranked in the AP poll for 24 straight weeks and has been ranked in the top 10 in each of the past 19 polls.
• UVA was ranked No. 5 in the preseason polls and has been ranked in the top 10 in the preseason rankings in four of the past five seasons.
• In 2017-18, Virginia became the fourth team in the Top 25 era to earn a No. 1 ranking after being unranked in the preseason.
 
Last Time Out
• De’Andre Hunter scored 18 points and Kyle Guy added 16 as then-No. 5 Virginia defeated William & Mary 72-40 on Dec. 22.
• Ty Jerome added a career-high nine rebounds and Guy matched a career best with seven as the Cavaliers owned a 42-24 rebounding advantage.
• UVA went 19 of 21 from the free throw line as Hunter sank a career-high nine freebies.
• UVA’s defensive effort was highlighted by limiting the Tribe to a 2 of 20 effort from the 3-point line.
 
All-Time vs. Marshall
• Virginia holds a 6-2 advantage against Marshall in a series that dates back to 1928-29.
• The Cavaliers are 4-0 against the Thundering Herd in Charlottesville, including a 73-53 win at University Hall in the last meeting between the teams in 1992.
• UVA has a three-game winning streak against the Thundering Herd, including a pair of 20-point victories in 1989 and 1992.
• Marshall posted a neutral site win vs. UVA in 1954 (103-98) and home victory in 1967 (97-89).
 
Last Time vs. the Thundering Herd
• Bryant Stith scored 18 points and Cory Alexander added 14 as Virginia coasted to a 73-53 win over Marshall on Jan. 19, 1992.
• Junior Burrough added 12 points and UVA associate head coach Jason Williford added five points off the bench.
• UVA led 40-20 at halftime and enjoyed a 42-24 rebounding advantage.
• Malik Hightower led Marshall with 13 points, while Frank Martin added 10.
 
Hoo Are These Cavaliers?
• Virginia is led by the quartet of Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy, De’Andre Hunter and Jack Salt. 
• Hunter leads the team in scoring (14.8) and has tallied three 20-point efforts.
• Jerome is second in scoring (14.2) and has three 20-point efforts.
• Guy leads the team in 3-pointers (29) and free throw percentage (84.6%) and is third in scoring (14.1). 
• Transfer Braxton Key leads the team in rebounding (5.2), while Mamadi Diakite has averaged 6.3 points and 3.0 rebounds.
• Newcomer Kihei Clark has started four games and is second on the team in assists (2.6). Clark broke his left wrist against Morgan State, and has played the past three games with a cast.
• Marco Anthony, Jay Huff, Kody Stattmann and Francesco Badocchi provide depth and Francisco Caffaro is redshirting the 2018-19 season.
• Manager Grant Kersey has appeared in five home games.
 
All-Time vs. C-USA
• UVA meets its second C-USA opponent this season (Marshall and Middle Tennessee).
• Virginia is 21-7 all-time vs. current C-USA foes (9-5 vs. Old Dominion, 6-2 vs. Marshall, 2-0 vs. Rice, 2-0 vs. Middle Tennessee, 1-1 vs. UAB and 1-1 vs. Western Kentucky).
 
UVA in the National Statistical Rankings
• As of Dec. 28, UVA ranks first nationally in scoring defense (50.3 ppg), turnovers per game (7.9), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.87), fewest turnovers (87) and winning percentage (100%), second in 3-point field goal percentage defense (24.4%), fifth in scoring margin (22.1), eighth in turnover margin (5.5), ninth in fewest fouls (167), 13th in free throw percentage (77.2%) and field goal percentage defense (37.9%) and 18th in personal fouls per game (15.2). 
 
Jerome, Hunter and Guy Among ACC Leaders
• As of Dec. 30, Ty Jerome ranks third in the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.4), sixth in steals (2.0) and assists (4.3), seventh in 3-point percentage (42.6%), eighth in 3-pointers (2.4), 17th in scoring (14.2) and 19th in minutes (30.9). 
• De’Andre Hunter ranks ninth in field goal percentage (53.3%) and free throw percentage (82.6%) and 14th in scoring (14.8).
• Kyle Guy ranks third in 3-pointers (2.7), eighth in minutes (33.4) and 3-point percentage (41.4%) and 21st in scoring (14.1).
 
On the Horizon
• No. 4 Virginia opens its 66th season of ACC action against No. 9 Florida State on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 3 p.m.