The University's men's basketball team travels to Coral Gables, Florida tonight to face the Miami Hurricanes in an ACC contest at 7:30 p.m. The game features perhaps the hottest and coldest teams in the conference. The Cavaliers compete against the Hurricanes having won nine of their last 10 games, whereas the Hurricanes enter the game having lost eight of their last nine.
The Cavaliers (18-7, 9-3 ACC) look to sweep the season series with Miami (10-16, 3-9 ACC), as Virginia took the first meeting 81-70 Feb. 3 at John Paul Jones Arena.
More importantly, the Cavaliers enter tonight's contest tied for first place in the ACC with North Carolina, and it is conceivable that Virginia could win the ACC title outright. Virginia could accomplish this if the Cavaliers win each of its last four games and UNC loses in a schedule that includes trips to Maryland and Georgia Tech, along with visits to Chapel Hill by rivals N.C. State and Duke.
A win at Miami would go a long way towards not only the ACC title but ultimately to a NCAA Tournament bid.
According to junior point guard Sean Singletary, team chemistry has resulted in the Cavaliers' recent strong play.
"We have been on the same page," Singletary said. "We've been communicating well."
The Cavaliers will have to remain on the same page to pick up an always tough ACC road win at Miami. Virginia is 3-3 on the road this year in ACC games, and its last road game resulted in a 27-point loss to Virginia Tech, where the Cavaliers looked flat the entire game. Even though the Hurricanes are last in the ACC, Virginia will have to come out with much more energy, especially on the defensive end, to pick up a win away from the friendly confines of John Paul Jones Arena.
Leading the way for Virginia is the dominant guard combination of Singletary and senior guard J.R. Reynolds. Each comes in averaging 18.4 points per game, which is good enough for fourth best in the ACC, and both have scored in double figures in each of Virginia's last 15 games.
Miami, however, will do its best to slow down perhaps the best backcourt in the country.
"As we get deeper into the season, scouting reports catch up to you," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said. "Sean doesn't have the openings that he had earlier in the year; J.R. as well, but you find different ways to get things done. We play it day by day and get as many wins as we can."
Virginia has gotten things done offensively as of late with the help of Adrian Joseph. Joseph is coming off a season-high 17 point performance in the win over Florida State and has scored in double figures in three of Virginia's last four games.
"It feels good when he's on," Reynolds said of the emerging play of Adrian Joseph. "Other teams have to respect his jump-shot."
It is evident that Joseph is playing confidently right now, and his teammates have confidence in him.
"I always know I can control the tempo," Singletary said. "And I know Adrian will be open 90 percent of the time, and he'll make it 90 percent of the time."
Defensively, Virginia will be keying in on Miami sophomore guard Jack McClinton, who averages 16.3 points per game -- ninth in the ACC. The Cavaliers will have to defend him tightly since McClinton leads the ACC in three-point field goal percentage at 44 percent. They will have to do this without fouling, though, since McClinton leads the ACC in free-throw percentage. In the team's first contest, McClinton tallied 18 points against the Cavaliers.
The only other Hurricane averaging double figures is 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Brian Asbury with 12.1 points per game.
Defense and rebounding will be key for Virginia tonight. If the Cavaliers play solid team defense, they will likely come away with a win. If the defensive team that showed up in Blacksburg reveals its ugly face in south Florida, Virginia could let a very winnable game slip away and with it, perhaps a chance at Virginia's first ACC regular season title since the 1994-1995 season.
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