Virginia Closes Non-Conference Schedule with Home Date vs. American on Sunday
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (6-5) concludes non-conference action against American (6-5) on Sunday, Dec. 22. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 2 p.m. on the ACC Network.
For Openers
• Virginia meets its second Patriot League opponent in 2024-25.
• The Cavaliers are 5-1 at home and 103-11 in non-conference action at John Paul Jones Arena since 2009-10.
• UVA is 0-3 in its last game prior to Christmas in the last three seasons (Clemson, Miami and Memphis).
• This is the first season since 1982-83 that UVA has faced at least four ranked non-conference opponents (0-4 in 2024-25 and 5-0 in 1982-83).
Broadcast Information
• The Virginia-American game will be televised on ACC Network, streamed on WatchESPN.com and available on 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 6-5 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.
• He 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.
All-Time vs. American
• The Cavaliers own a 5-1 advantage over the Eagles in the all-time series that dates back to 1938.
• Virginia defeated American 91-70 in the last meeting between the teams at John Paul Jones Arena on Dec. 28, 2006.
• UVA is undefeated at home against American, posting a 5-0 record in Charlottesville.
• Virginia’s lone loss to American was a 69-54 true road defeat on Feb. 3, 1951.
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 per game.
• McKneely leads UVA in scoring at 12.2 points per game, leading the team in scoring in three contests.
• Andrew Rohde (8.6 ppg, 2.7 apg) is shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from 3-point range. Rohde shot 29.3 percent from the field and 25.7 percent from 3-point land last season.
• Elijah Saunders (10.5 ppg, 5 rpg), Jacob Cofie (8.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Buchanan (6.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg) have held down the frontcourt.
• Dai Dai Ames (8.1 ppg, 85% FTs) has started nine games at point guard. Ames played seven minutes at SMU before leaving the game with an ankle injury, which sidelined him for the Bethune-Cookman contest.
• TJ Power (2.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg) started the first five games.
• Ishan Sharma (2.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg), Taine Murray (3.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg) and Anthony Robinson have seen action off the bench.
• Murray, who is the lone senior on the UVA roster, made his third career start vs. Bethune-Cookman and is averaging a career-best 20 minutes per game.
• The Cavaliers have made six or more 3-pointers in each game, including a season-high 14 against Villanova.
Last Time Out
• PJ Haggerty scored 27 points as No. 21 Memphis held off Virginia, 64-62, in non-conference action on Dec. 18 at JPJ.
• UVA led 30-21 at the half, but Memphis gained its first lead of the game at 39-37 and never trailed the rest of the way.
• Memphis (9-2) forced 11 turnovers and converted 12 fast break points.
• Elijah Saunders led UVA with 15 points and Taine Murray matched a career high with 14 points.
McThreely: UVA’s Top Long Distance Shooter
• Junior Isaac McKneely is UVA’s all-time 3-point percentage leader at 42.9 percent.
• McKneely has made 163 of 380 career 3-pointers, including 81 last season which ranks ninth on UVA’s single-season list.
• McKneely’s 6 of 6 effort from 3-point range vs. Villanova marked a Cavalier single-game record for most made 3’s without a miss.
• McKneely’s 12 3-pointers in back-to-back games against Syracuse and NCCU last season were the most at UVA in a two-game span since Kyle Guy made 13 in 2019.
• McKneely has made six or more 3-pointers in four games and two or more 3-pointers in 46 games (7 this season).
• McKneely has a 28-game 3-pointer streak dating back to 2023-24.
Seattle’s Best Cofie
• Seattle, Wash., native Jacob Cofie has made an immediate impact as a freshman at Virginia.
• Cofie leads UVA in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and double-doubles (2), and ranks second in blocks (12), third in steals (8) and fourth in scoring (8.5 ppg).
• He is the first UVA freshman to reach double figures in scoring in each of his first three games since Sylven Landesberg in 2008-09.
• Cofie’s 16 points (7 of 8 FGs) in his collegiate debut were the most in a UVA debut since transfer Jayden Gardner had 18 vs. Navy in 2021-22.
• Cofie’s 11-point, 11-rebound double-double against Coppin State was the first by a UVA freshman since redshirt freshman De’Andre Hunter had 14 points and 10 rebounds vs. Pitt on Feb. 24, 2018.
• Cofie tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds against Bethune-Cookman for his second double-double.
• He has reached double figures in scoring in four games.
• Cofie made his first career start against No. 21 Memphis.
On The Horizon
• Virginia returns to ACC action against NC State on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for Noon on ESPN2.