Virginia Travels to Pitt on Monday Night
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (10-12, 3-8 ACC) travels to Pitt (14-7, 5-5 ACC) for an ACC road contest on Monday, Feb. 3. Tipoff at Petersen Events Center is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN.
For Openers
• Virginia (10-12) is 15th in the ACC at 3-8, while Pitt (14-7) is eighth at 5-5.
• UVA is 2-7 away from home, including a 1-4 mark in ACC play.
• Isaac McKneely is averaging 20 points over his last four games.
Broadcast Information
• The Virginia-Pitt game will be televised on ESPN, 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 10-12, 3-8 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.
• 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.
All-Time vs. Pitt
• UVA is 19-6 all-time vs. Pitt in the series that dates to 1957.
• UVA is 8-4 against the Panthers in Pittsburgh.
• Pitt has a two-game win streak in the series, including a 68-65 win in the last meeting at Petersen Events Center on Jan. 3, 2023.
• UVA has won eight of the last 10 contests in the series.
• Virginia has won 15 of the last 18 games against Pitt.
• UVA is 12-3 against Pitt since 2013-14 when the Panthers joined the ACC.
Last Time vs. The Panthers
• Blake Hinson scored a game-high 27 points to lead Pittsburgh to a 74-63 win over Virginia in ACC action on Feb. 13, 2024, at John Paul Jones Arena.
• The Panthers drilled 14 of 32 3-point attempts to end UVA’s 48-game home streak of limiting ACC foes to less than 70 points.
• Ishmael Leggett added 13 points and Jaland Lowe added 12.
• Reece Beekman led UVA with 19 points and Isaac McKneely added 15.
• UVA shot 50 percent (25 of 50) and was 4 of 14 from distance and 9 of 13 from the free throw line in the loss.
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 (13.3 ppg), 3-pointers (66) and 3-point percentage (42.3%).
• Saunders leads the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and ranks second in scoring (11.8 ppg).
• Andrew Rohde (8.9 ppg, 3.8 apg) leads the team in assists and steals (22) and ranks third in scoring.
• Jacob Cofie (7.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg) is second on the team in rebounding, blocks (20) and steals (21).
• Dai Dai Ames (6.2 ppg, 37.5% 3FGs), Blake Buchanan (5.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Taine Murray (4.8 ppg, 45.5% 3FG), Ishan Sharma (4.1 ppg, 35% 3FG), Anthony Robinson (2.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg) and TJ Power (1.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg) round out the rotation.
• The Cavaliers have made six or more 3-pointers in 20 games, including a season-high 14 against Villanova.
• UVA is shooting 44 percent from the field, 37.3 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.
• UVA has been outrebounded in 22 contests, but is 7-1 when winning the rebound battle.
• UVA is averaging just 5.7 turnovers over its last three games.
Last Time Out
• Jaden Schutt scored 18 points and Tobi Lawal added 17 points to lead Virginia Tech to a 75-74 win over Virginia in a Smithfield Commonwealth Clash on Saturday, Feb. 1 at John Paul Jones Arena.
• Isaac McKneely led the Hoos with 19 points and seven assists, while Andrew Rohde added 12 points and seven assists.
• Rohde had a chance to win the game, but his driving layup rimmed out near the buzzer.
• Virginia Tech drilled 11 of 21 3-pointers and shot 52.1 overall from the field.
• Dai Dai Ames had 11 points and Taine Murray added 10 points for the Cavaliers, who fell to 8-5 at JPJ.
• UVA committed a season-low four turnovers.
On The Horizon
• Virginia hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday, Feb. 8. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 5:30 p.m. on The CW.