Virginia Hosts Notre Dame at Sold-Out JPJ
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (9-10, 2-6 ACC) hosts Notre Dame (8-10, 2-5 ACC) in ACC action on Saturday, Jan. 25. Tipoff at sold-out John Paul Jones Arena is set for 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
For Openers
• Virginia meets Notre Dame for the lone time in 2024-25.
• Notre Dame associate head coach Kyle Getter spent five years at UVA, serving three seasons as director of recruiting/player development and two seasons as an assistant coach.
• Notre Dame is tied for 14th in the ACC at 2-5, while Virginia is 16th at 2-6.
Broadcast Information
• The Virginia-Notre Dame game will be televised on the ESPN2, 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 9-10, 2-6 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. Notre Dame
• Virginia is 18-4 all-time vs. Notre Dame, including a 13-2 ACC regular-season record, in a series that dates to 1980-81.
• UVA is 9-0 against the Irish in Charlottesville, including a 65-53 win in the last meeting at John Paul Jones Arena last season.
• The Fighting Irish defeated Virginia 76-54 in the other meeting last season in Notre Dame.
Last Time vs. The Fighting Irish
• Jake Groves scored a season-high 18 points to lift Virginia to a 65-53 home win over Notre Dame on Jan. 31, 2024.
• Groves drilled a career-high six 3-pointers, including five in the first half as the Cavaliers built a 38-23 halftime lead.
• Reece Beekman tied a career high with 21 points and added six assists and four steals in UVA’s fifth-straight win.
• UVA sank a season-high 13 3-pointers (25 attempts) in the win, including a career-best four from Beekman.
• Markus Burton led Notre Dame with 17 points.
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 the team in scoring (12.3 ppg), 3-pointers (54) and 3-point percentage (42.5%).
Saunders leads the team in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and ranks second in scoring (11.9 ppg).
Andrew Rohde (9.1 ppg, 3.7 apg) leads the team in assists and steals (20) and ranks third in scoring.
• Jacob Cofie (7.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg) is second on the team in rebounding, blocks (18) and steals (17).
• Dai Dai Ames (5.9 ppg, 81.8% FTs) rejoined the starting five, while Blake Buchanan (5.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Ishan Sharma (3.9 ppg, 33.8% 3FG), Taine Murray (3.7 ppg, 34.8% 3FG), Anthony Robinson (2.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg) and TJ Power (1.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg) round out the rotation.
• The Cavaliers have made six or more 3-pointers in 17 games, including a season-high 14 against Villanova.
• UVA is shooting 43.4 percent from the field, 36.6 percent from 3-point range and 74.3 percent from the free throw line (42.8% FG, 35.8% 3FG, 63.7% FT last season).
• UVA’s recent five-game losing streak (Jan. 4-18) was its longest since suffering a nine-game ACC losing streak from Feb. 6-March 6, 2010.
Last Time Out
• Isaac McKneely scored 21 points to lead Virginia to a 74-56 win over Boston College on Jan. 25 at John Paul Jones Arena.
• McKneely shot 7 of 10 from the field, including 6 of 9 from distance.
• Andrew Rohde added 16 points, six assists and four rebounds.
• UVA shot 52 percent and out-rebounded Boston College 30-23.
There’s No Place Like Home
• Virginia is 254-59 (.812), including an 8-3 mark in 2024-25, in 19 seasons at John Paul Jones Arena.
• UVA went 15-2 at JPJ last season and is 38-6 in its last 44 home contests.
• UVA is 104-11 (.904) in non-conference action in its last 16 seasons at JPJ.
• UVA has won 10+ home games for 15 straight seasons.
On The Horizon
• Virginia travels to Miami on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Tipoff at Watsco Center is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN2/U.