The Cavaliers are going for eight in a row tonight as they face UNC Wilmington at John Paul Jones, a game that was originally scheduled for for December, but was cancelled due to the apocalyptic blizzard that swept through Charlottesville. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. and is the final non-conference game of the regular season for Virginia. UVA (11-4, 3-0) is the only team left in the ACC undefeated in conference play, as they come off a commanding 75-57 victory over No. 23 Miami.
UNC Wilmington (6-11, 2-5 CAA) should not be overlooked by the Cavaliers. They have quality wins over Penn State (80-69) and William & Mary (62-61), and among their losses include Miami (67-60), South Florida (74-66) (a team that Virginia got crushed by, 49-66), and Wake Forest (80-69).
The Seahawks are shooting 42.5% from the field, including 33.3% from beyond the arc, a figure that could go up against a Virginia defense that hasn't quite yet found a way to stop the three yet.
I'm looking to see Virginia play like a team that should win this game easily. The Wahoos have historically had a bad habit -- and this may include this season as well -- of playing down to their opponent's level. Hopefully this won't be the case tonight, as head coach Tony Bennett has stressed the importance of, "We can't get too high. We can't get too low."
After tonight's game, Virginia returns to ACC action against Wake Forest on Saturday (Jan. 23). That game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. and will be televised by Raycom.