Gameday: Pitt vs Virginia Cavaliers

#18 Pitt 18-3 (6-2 ACC) vs Virginia 16-5 (7-1 ACC)

12:30 pm

Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA

Thanks to a Christmas present from my now fiancée, I will be attending this game.  I also have to leave in like 8 minutes to go pick her up to go to said game, so I'll allow friend and Cavaliers fan @BDF4 to preview this game. Take it away.

Since the December 31st loss at Tennessee (52-87), Virginia is 7-1.  The lone loss was a close game at Duke where the Wahoos climbed back from a double digit deficit to take the lead, only for a Rasheed Sulaimon three pointer to bounce in with 18.8 seconds left to seal a Blue Devil victory.  

Virginia has held at least a 20 point lead in each of their 7 ACC wins, including a 31 point win at NC State and 2 wins versus Florida State.  Last Tuesday the Wahoos travelled to Notre Dame and built a 20 point first half lead against the Irish before cooling off just a bit, eventually winning by 15. This is Virginia’s best ACC start since 1982-1983. The Wahoos reached the Final Four that season.

Who to watch:

Joe Harris – All ACC Senior shooting guard.  11.5 PPG, struggled early on and is averaging 12 PPG in ACC games.

Malcolm Brogdon – Sophmore – redshirted last season.  Team’s leading scorer, 15 PPG in ACC games.

London Perrantes – Freshman point guard.  


A Virginia fan’s take:

Virginia leads the ACC in scoring defense.  This season their offense has shown quite an improvement. Sure, Joe Harris isn’t scoring as much but he really hasn’t needed to score 20+ for UVA to win.  Virginia has been pigeon holed by the media as a slow pace team, but they’re actually 4th in the ACC in scoring.
Virginia and Pittsburgh match up well physically.   I can’t see UVA building a 20 point lead in this game, but I do think they’re slightly better and I’m predicting a 66-60 UVA win.

Excellent writing, but his last sentence is wrong.

Prediction:  Pitt 68 Virginia 62

Hail to Pitt,
J.O.