Men’s Basketball Back in Action Monday Night vs. Coppin State
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (1-0) hosts Coppin State (0-3) in non-conference action on Monday, Nov. 11. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is slated for 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
For Openers
• UVA meets Coppin State for the first time since 2021-22.
• Rookie Jacob Cofie’s 16 points in the opener against Campbell were the most in a UVA debut since Jayden Gardner netted 18 in a season-opening loss to Navy in 2021-22.
• Ron Sanchez captured his first win as interim head coach at UVA as the Cavaliers topped Campbell 65-56 in the opener.
• UVA improved to 25-2 in its last 27 season-opening games.
• UVA is 99-10 at JPJ in non-conference play since 2009-10.
Broadcast Information
• The Virginia-Coppin State game will be carried online at WatchESPN.com and ESPN+.
• The game will also be broadcast on Virginia Sports Radio Network, VirginiaSports.com and Virginia Sports app.
• Live statistics will be located on VirginiaSports.com and the Virginia Sports app.
The Interim Head Coach
• Ron Sanchez was named Dean and Markel Families Men’s Interim Head Basketball Coach on Oct. 18 after three-time National Coach of the Year Tony Bennett retired.
• Sanchez is 1-0 as interim head coach at Virginia.
• Sanchez, who spent 10 seasons on Bennett’s staff at UVA in two different stints (2009-19 & 2023-24), posted a 72-78 record as head coach at Charlotte from 2018-23.
• He served nine seasons on Bennett’s staff from 2009-18, the last three as associate head coach. During his time on Grounds, the Cavaliers won 212 games, three ACC regular-season titles and two ACC Tournament titles while making six appearances in the NCAA Tournament and one NIT appearance. The Cavaliers earned three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament and won 29 or more games four times. UVA won 31 games and reached No. 1 in the AP rankings for the first time since 1982-83 during Sanchez’ last season at UVA in 2017-18.
• Sanchez returned to UVA as associate head coach in 2023-24 as the Cavaliers posted a 23-11 record and 13-7 mark in the ACC.
• Under Sanchez’ leadership at Charlotte, the 49ers won 16 or more games in three seasons, including a 22-14 record in 2022-23. His last season at Charlotte was highlighted by the 49ers’ first-ever postseason tournament title when they won four games in five days in Daytona Beach, Fla., at the 2023 Discount Tire College Basketball Invitational.
• Sanchez also served as an assistant coach on Tony Bennett’s staff for three seasons at Washington State from 2006-09, helping the Cougars to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. Washington State reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and Sweet 16 in 2008. The Cougars tied the school record with 26 wins in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
The Virginia Way
• The Virginia Way is built on former head coach Tony Bennett’s five pillars of humility, passion, unity, servanthood and thankfulness.
• The Virginia Way is playing defense, taking quality shots, sharing and taking care of the basketball, stopping transition, rebounding and playing more defense.
• UVA has finished in the top six nationally in scoring defense in each of the past 13 seasons and led the nation in the category six times.
Hoo Are These Cavaliers?
• Virginia returns two starters (Isaac McKneely and Andrew Rohde) along with Blake Buchanan and Taine Murray from last season’s team that finished third in the ACC (13-7) and advanced to the NCAA First Four.
• In 2023-24, McKneely started 33 games and averaged 12.3 points and shot 44.5 percent from 3-point range, while Rohde started 27 games and averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 assists.
• Buchanan averaged 3.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15 minutes per game, while Murray netted 3.3 points in 13.6 minutes per game.
• Isaac McKneely (11 ppg) and Rohde (5 apg) were joined in the opening-day starting lineup by Buchanan (10 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg), and transfers Elijah Saunders (11 ppg, 5 rpg) and TJ Power (3 ppg, 3 rpg).
• Rookies Jacob Cofie (16 ppg, 6 rpg) and Ishan Sharma (6 ppg, 3 rpg) had effective collegiate debuts against Campbell.
• Transfer Dai Dai Ames (Kansas State) also made his UVA debut against Campbell.
• Redshirts Anthony Robinson and Christian Bliss await their UVA debuts after redshirting last season.
• Promising sophomore Elijah Gertrude will miss the 2024-25 after suffering an offseason knee injury.
• Point guard Jalen Warley (Florida State) transferred out of the program on Oct. 29.
There’s No Place Like Home
• Virginia is 247-56 (.815), including a 1-0 mark in 2024-25, in 19 seasons at John Paul Jones Arena.
• UVA went 15-2 at JPJ last season and is 31-3 in its last 34 home contests.
• UVA is 209-40 (.839) overall and 99-10 (.908) in non-conference action in its last 16 seasons at JPJ.
• UVA has an ACC-leading 96 wins in league home games over the past 11 seasons. Duke is second at 94.
UVA has won 10+ home games for 15 straight seasons.
• Virginia’s recent 23-game home win streak (Feb. 28, 2022-Feb. 5, 2024) was its second longest at John Paul Jones Arena.
All-Time vs. Coppin State
• Virginia is 3-0 all-time against Coppin State in the series that dates back to the 1993-94 season.
• The Cavaliers defeated the Eagles 68-52 in the last meeting in 2021-22.
• Then-No. 4 UVA stormed past the Eagles 97-40 on Nov. 16, 2018.
• Virginia also defeated the Eagles 63-61 on Dec. 9, 1993, at University Hall.
Last Time Against Coppin State
• Virginia cruised to victory 68-52 over Coppin State (1-6) on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at John Paul Jones Arena.
Jayden Gardner (14), Kihei Clark (12), Igor Miliĉić Jr. (11) and Kadin Shedrick (10) all scored in double figures for UVA.
• Gardner and Shedrick also collected double-doubles as Gardner pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds, while
• Shedrick tallied a career-best 10 boards.
• UVA never trailed in the contest and led the Eagles for 39:26.
On The Horizon
• Virginia battles Villanova in a Hall of Fame Series event on Friday, Nov. 15 in Baltimore, Md.. Tipoff at CFG Bank Arena is set for 5 p.m. on TNT.