Following a big win Tuesday over Longwood, the Virginia men's basketball team hopes to return to its stellar level of conference play tomorrow afternoon against what will prove to be "a very talented Florida State team," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said.
"They're going to challenge us as much as we've been challenged all year by the way they play," Leitao said. "And they're playing for something."
The Cavaliers (17-7, 8-3 ACC) are playing for something as well. Currently sitting in a three-way tie for second place in the ACC with the likes of North Carolina and Virginia Tech, Virginia needs to pick up a couple more conference wins to land a high seed in the ACC Tournament and a favorable seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The players understand this is a very important game and that the Seminoles will put up quite a fight.
"We know they are a talented bunch of guys," junior guard Sean Singletary said. "They're pretty cohesive, especially on defense. We're ready to go and we want to get another ACC game under our belt."
Although FSU (17-9, 5-7 ACC) comes into Saturday's match up on a three-game conference skid, the Seminoles are indeed a talented bunch. Their stout defense ranks fourth in the conference in turnover margin and is tied for fourth in three-point field goal defense, which is something for which Virginia will have to account.
The Seminoles' offense, however, is not to be overlooked. Senior forward Al Thornton is the ACC's second leading scorer, boasting 18.7 points per game.
Defending Thornton will certainly be a challenge, but the Cavaliers are up for it.
"He's an energetic guy. His motor keeps going," Singletary said. "He never lets up on any plays and he has a lot of energy. It's going to be tough to defend him but I think we can do it."
As a team, Florida State has the ACC's fifth-best overall field goal percentage and averages 74.8 points per game -- good for 6th in the ACC. The Cavs average slightly more, with 78.5 points per game.
Virginia is going to need a strong offensive presence and a lot of patience to get past the Seminoles tough defense. Rebounding should play a big role, as the Cavaliers average the second-most offensive boards in the conference while Florida State sits dead last in that category.
The Cavaliers hope the rebound factor will open up the perimeter for Virginia's premier backcourt including senior J.R. Reynolds and Singletary. The Cavaliers lead the ACC with 8.00 three-point field goals made per game and will look to combine that strength with strong guard play. Reynolds and Singletary are the ACC's fourth and fifth leading scorers, respectively.
Florida State won both meetings with the Cavaliers last year but, with March Madness right around the corner, Virginia is looking to show the nation that it can be a serious contender in the big dance.The Seminoles will meet the Cavaliers again tomorrow at the John Paul Jones Arena, where Virginia is 13-1 and undefeated in conference play.
Read More
Buchanan jolts arena with season-best performance
By Michael Liebermann | 22 hours agoRon Sanchez challenged his players to rebound better, and Buchanan answered resoundingly.
Third-quarter surge pushes women’s basketball ahead of Virginia Tech
By Lauren Halak | 22 hours agoVirginia conquered its rival, earning an ever-important ACC victory.
With last-second three-pointer, SMU silences men’s basketball
By Michael Liebermann and Thomas Baxter | YesterdayThe late shot crushed a bouncing arena.
