Virginia Hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday at JPJ
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (11-12, 4-8 ACC) hosts Georgia Tech (11-12, 5-7 ACC) in an ACC contest on Saturday, Feb. 8. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 5:30 p.m. on The CW.
For Openers
• Virginia (11-12) is tied for 14th in the ACC at 4-8, while Georgia Tech (11-12) is tied for ninth at 5-7.
• UVA is 8-5 at home, including a 2-4 mark in ACC play.
• UVA ranks 34th nationally in 3-point percentage at 37.6 percent.
• Former Virginia head coach Tony Bennett will be honored at the UVA-Georgia Tech game during halftime.
Broadcast Information
• The Virginia-Georgia Tech game will be televised on The CW.
• 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 11-12, 4-8 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.
Bennett Recognition
• UVA will recognize Tony Bennett with tributes throughout the game and raise a banner in JPJ during a special ceremony at halftime.
• Each fan will receive a commemorative replica banner.
• The special celebration is part of UVA Men’s Basketball Alumni Day as many former players, managers and staff will be in attendance.
All-Time vs. Georgia Tech
• Virginia is 49-40 all-time vs. Georgia Tech, including a 27-11 mark in Charlottesville, in a series that dates to 1947-48.
• The Cavaliers have a 12-game win streak in the series and 10-game home win streak against the Yellow Jackets.
• Georgia Tech’s last win vs. the Cavaliers in the series was a 68-64 victory in Atlanta on Jan. 9, 2016.
• Virginia is 20-2 in its last 22 games against Georgia Tech,
Last Time vs. The Yellow Jackets
• Reece Beekman tied a career high with 21 points to defeat Georgia Tech 72-57 during Senior Day on March 9, 2024, at John Paul Jones Arena.
• Beekman added a game-high nine assists and six rebounds for the Cavaliers, who finished 15-2 at JPJ.
• Isaac McKneely added 16 points and Taine Murray chipped in 12 in a career-high 28 minutes off the bench.
• UVA shot 51.8 percent and drilled 12 of 26 3-pointers.
• Baye Ndongo led Georgia Tech with 21 points and nine rebounds.
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 (13.1 ppg), 3-pointers (68) and 3-point percentage (41.5%).
• Saunders leads the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and ranks second in scoring (11.8 ppg).
• Andrew Rohde (8.9 ppg, 4.0 apg) leads the team in assists and steals (22) and ranks third in scoring.
• Jacob Cofie (7.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg) is tied for the team lead in steals (22) and ranks second in rebounding and blocks (20).
• Dai Dai Ames (7.1 ppg, 39.1% 3FGs), Blake Buchanan (6.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg), Taine Murray (4.8 ppg, 47.1% 3FG), Ishan Sharma (4.0 ppg, 35.5% 3FG), Anthony Robinson (2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg) and TJ Power (1.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg) round out the rotation.
• The Cavaliers have made six or more 3-pointers in 21 games, including a season-high 14 against Villanova.
• UVA is shooting 44.5 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from 3-point range and 74 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 in 2010.
• UVA has been outrebounded in 14 contests, but is 8-1 when winning the rebound battle.
• UVA has shot 50 percent or better in three of its last five games.
Last Time Out
• Dai Dai Ames scored a career-high 27 points to lead Virginia to a 73-57 win at Pittsburgh on Monday, Feb. 3.
• Ames shot 11 of 16 from the field, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range, surpassing his previous high of 16 points.
• Blake Buchanan added 10 points and 11 rebounds and Andrew Rohde chipped in nine points, a career-high nine assists and seven rebounds in UVA’s second ACC road victory.
• The Hoos shot 56 percent from the field and outrebounded Pitt 33-21.
• Ish Leggett led the Panthers (14-8, 5-6 ACC) with 17 points.
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.