Virginia Battles Louisville in ACC Action Saturday Afternoon
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (8-5, 1-1 ACC) opens 2025 with a home game against Louisville (9-5, 2-1 ACC) on Saturday, Jan. 4. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 4 p.m. on ACC Network.
For Openers
• Virginia is 3-1 during its five-game homestand.
• The Cavaliers own a nine-game win streak vs. the Cardinals.
• UVA reached the 70-point mark against NC State on Dec. 31 for the first time since scoring 74 against Manhattan on Nov. 26.
• Four of Virginia’s losses have come against ranked opponents.
Broadcast Information
• The Virginia-Louisville 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 8-5, 1-1 ACC 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. Louisville
• Virginia is 24-5 all-time vs. Louisville in a series that dates to 1923-24.
• UVA has a nine-game home win streak against Louisvlle and has won 18 of the last 19 meetings.
• The Cavaliers are 11-1 vs. the Cardinals in Charlottesville, including the 9-0 mark at JPJ.
• UVA is 19-2 vs. Louisville since the Cardinals joined the ACC.
Last Time vs. The Cardinals
• Ryan Dunn scored a career-high 19 points and added 11 rebounds in Virginia’s 69-52 win at Louisville on Jan. 27, 2024.
• UVA held Louisville to 4 of 20 shooting in the first half and led 41-13.
• UVA shot 50 percent and made 8 of 17 3-pointers in the win.
• Reece Beekman added nine points, nine assists and five steals, while Isaac McKneely and Jacob Groves each tallied nine points.
• UVA converted 18 Louisville turnovers into 24 points and out-scored the Cardinals 30-18 in the paint.
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.
• Elijah Saunders and McKneely are tied for the team lead in scoring at 12.2 points per game.
• Saunders, who has led UVA in scoring in seven games, has averaged 18.3 points during his four-game double-figure scoring streak.
• McKneely ranks second in the ACC in 3-point percentage (44.7%) and 3-pointers made per game (2.92).
• Andrew Rohde (8.5 ppg, 3.2 apg) is shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 46.9 percent from 3-point range after shooting 29.3 percent from the field and 25.7 percent from 3-point land last season.
• Jacob Cofie (8.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg) leads the team in rebounding and has started the last three contests.
• Blake Buchanan (5.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Dai Dai Ames (7.3 ppg, 85% FTs), Taine Murray (4.5 ppg, 35.3% 3FG), TJ Power (2.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg) and Anthony Robinson round out the rotation.
• The Cavaliers have made six or more 3-pointers in each game, including a season-high 14 against Villanova.
• UVA is shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from 3-point range (30th nationally) and 72.8 percent from the free throw line, surpassing last season’s marks (42.8% FG, 35.8% 3FG, 63.7% FT).
Last Time Out
• Elijah Saunders tallied a career-high 22 points as Virginia overcame a 14-point deficit in a 70-67 win over NC State on Dec. 31 at John Paul Jones Arena.
• Saunders shot 7 of 9 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free throw line for the second straight game.
• Isaac McKneely scored 14 points and Andrew Rohde chipped in 11 points and seven assists.
• NC State led 39-29, but UVA drilled seven of its first 10 3-pointers in the second stanza to secure its first league win.
• Jayden Taylor led the Wolfpack with 14 points.
Rely on Eli
• Junior transfer Elijah Saunders is averaging 18.3 points per game during his four-game double-figure scoring streak.
• Saunders netted a career-high 22 points against NC State and 21 versus American, and has scored 15 or more points in five of the last six games.
• Saunders has led UVA in scoring in seven contests, including 19 points at then-No. 13 Florida.
• Saunders is tied for the team lead in scoring (12.2 ppg) and is second in rebounding (5.2 rpg).
McThreely
• Junior Isaac McKneely is UVA’s all-time 3-point percentage leader at 42.8 percent.
• McKneely has made 170 of 397 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 48 games (9 this season).
• McKneely has a 30-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 (5.8 rpg) and double-doubles (2), ranks second in blocks (15) steals (11) and fourth in scoring (8.3 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 then-No. 21 Memphis.
On The Horizon
• Virginia travels to California for an ACC contest on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Tipoff at Haas Pavilion is set for 11 p.m. on ESPN2/U.