The Cavaliers return to home action tonight in hopes of claiming their third conference win and exacting revenge for a one-point loss to Clemson earlier this season. The Tigers tip off against Virginia at 7 p.m. tonight at University Hall.
Virginia (8-11, 2-6 ACC) has had success at home this season, but still has only two conference victories. The Cavaliers have dropped their last two conference games -- road losses at Florida State and North Carolina.
The Cavaliers will need more offensive firepower from its leading scorer, sophomore guard Cherrise Graham, who only scored six points in the Cavaliers last game despite averaging more than 15 points per game going in.
Virginia lost a close game to Clemson (11-8, 3-5) on January 2, after leading the entire first half. Clemson since has lost four of six games while the Cavaliers have lost five of eight. Unlike Virginia, Clemson is coming off the momentum of a dominating 61-45 victory over Wake Forest.
In Virginia's two most recent losses the Cavaliers turned the ball over an average of 25 times. Virginia has the worst turnover margin in the ACC, while Clemson forces an average of 2.11 more turnovers than do their opponents. This tendency could decide tonight's game.
Despite the turnover numbers, however, most of the other statistics run even between Clemson and Virginia, and Virginia's strength on their home floor cannot be underestimated.
Both conference wins for the Cavaliers came at home and Virginia has compiled a 7-2 home record in contrast to a 1-9 mark on the road or at neutral sites.
"One thing that's going to help us a lot is that we're going to be home," Coach Debbie Ryan said. "We've played five road games already out of eight, so we're going to be home the rest of the time and that's going to be trouble for the rest of the conference."
Clemson also has reason to be worried about facing the Cavaliers in Charlottesville since Clemson is 1-3 in conference road play. Virginia, however, will try to exact revenge for a second-half meltdown at Clemson when they return to the familiar surroundings of U-Hall.
"I feel a lot more comfortable playing at home," sophomore forward Brandi Teamer said.
The Cavaliers showed they have the talent to compete with Clemson in their last game, but will have to limit their mistakes tonight if they want to walk away with a win.
"We're good enough to beat anybody," Ryan said after a dismal loss to North Carolina in which the Cavaliers turned the ball over 27 times.
The Cavaliers hope to climb enough in the conference standings to avoid playing on the first day of the ACC tournament Beating Clemson is important in accomplishing that goal, since the Cavaliers currently stand in eighth -- only a game back of the Tigers.
With games against top-ranked Duke, and No. 7 North Carolina still ahead, tonight's game becomes a must-win if the Cavaliers hope to move up in the conference.
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