Men’s Basketball Concludes Home Schedule vs. Florida State on Tuesday
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (14-15, 7-11 ACC) hosts Florida State (16-13, 7-11 ACC) on Tuesday, March 4. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 9 p.m. on the ACC Network.
For Openers
• Virginia (14-15) and Florida State (16-13) are tied for 10th in the ACC at 7-11.
• Dai Dai Ames has averaged 15 points during his eight-game double-figure streak.
• UVA ranks 25th nationally in assist/turnover ratio at 1.52 and 26th in 3-point percentage (37.7%).
• UVA has allowed 44.5 points in the paint over the past four games (1-3).
Broadcast Information
• The Virginia-Florida State game will be televised on the ACC Network and streamed on ESPN.com/watch and ESPN+.
• The game will also be broadcast on Virginia Sports Radio Network, VirginiaSports.com and the 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 14-15, 7-11 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. Florida State
• Virginia is 29-28 all-time vs. Florida State, including a 17-10 mark in Charlottesville, in a series that dates to 1991-92.
• UVA has a three-game win streak in the series, including a 62-57 win in the last meeting at John Paul Jones Arena on Dec. 3, 2022.
• UVA has limited Florida State to fewer than 70 points in 22 of the last 24 meetings.
• UVA has outscored Florida State 3,780-3,777 in the 57 games in the series with an average score of 66.31-66.26.
Last Time vs. The Seminoles
• Isaac McKneely scored a career-high 29 points and Reece Beekman tied a career best with 21 as Virginia defeated Florida State 80-76 in Tallahassee on Feb. 10, 2024.
• McKneely was 8 for 12 from the floor, including 5 for 7 from behind the arc, and Beekman added a game-high five assists to go with his 21 points.
• Jake Groves came off the bench to contribute 10 points.
• UVA shot 50 percent from the field, including 55.6 percent (10 of 18) from 3-point range.
• Jamir Watkins led FSU with 21 points.
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 (14.4 ppg), 3-pointers (92) and 3-point percentage (42.3%).
• Saunders ranks second on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.2 rpg).
• Andrew Rohde (9.4 ppg, 4.4 apg) leads the team in assists and ranks third in scoring.
• Jacob Cofie (7.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg) leads the team in steals (31) and ranks second in blocks (23) and third in rebounding.
• Dai Dai Ames (8.5 ppg, 39.7% 3FGs) scored a career-high 27 points at Pitt and is shooting 58.3 percent during his seven-game double-figure streak.
• Blake Buchanan (5.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) has recorded 10 or more rebounds in three contests.
• Taine Murray (4.4 ppg, 41.5% 3FG), Ishan Sharma (3.4 ppg, 32.9% 3FG), Anthony Robinson (3.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and TJ Power (1.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg) round out the rotation.
• The Cavaliers have made six or more 3-pointers in 27 games, including a season-high 14 against Villanova and 10 or more in nine games (7-2).
• UVA is 10-1 when outrebounding its opponent.
• UVA is shooting 44.9 percent from the field, 37.7 percent from 3-point range (26th nationally) and 75.2 percent from the free throw line (42.8% FG, 35.8% 3FG, 63.7% FT last season).
Last Time Out
• Ian Schieffelin tallied 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead No. 13 Clemson to a 71-58 win at Virginia on March 1.
• Clemson (24-5, 16-2 ACC) trailed Virginia 32-27 at the half, but used a 20-2 run to gain the win.
• Clemson scored 48 points in the paint and shot 1 of 10 from 3-point range.
• Isaac McKneely scored a team-high 16 points for the Cavaliers, while Andrew Rohde and Dai Dai Ames each chipped in 12.
• The Tigers outrebounded the Cavaliers 38-28.
On The Horizon
• Virginia closes out the regular season at Syracuse on Saturday, March 8. Tipoff at JMA Wireless Dome is set for 8 p.m. on the ACC Network.