TV: ESPN2
4 Likes
Will be a tough game and environment but if we play our game, we should win. 2-0 this week would be massive! And the buzz coming back to JPJ to face UNC would be loudest in…3 years? 5 years? This team is playing well and deserves some more buy in from fans.
30 Likes
At least the biggest since Houston came to JPJ during the 2022-23 season.
5 Likes
That was during exam break though. So limited juice from the student section
1 Like
Could we get gameday? Is basketball gameday even a thing anymore?
2 Likes
Campus locations start Jan 24 so it’s a possibility
3 Likes
Other options that day:
- Illinois @ Purdue (on Fox so no go)
- Houston @ Texas Tech
- Tennessee @ Alabama
I think if we are naming the court after Tony, we are likely hosting Gameday.
18 Likes
A lot of competition tho (with networks - good point on Fox, @BillyHoyle )
Didn’t we move the time? Maybe this is rven more than a possibility…
3 Likes
And we know how ESPN loves the SEC.
1 Like
Yeah, assuming they don’t go to Fox games, I think Bama-Tennessee and Houston-Texas Tech are the competitors. Bennett-Odom changeover narrative might be hard to resist tho…
And I suspect Odom will play ball (interviews, access, etc).
2 Likes
The broadcast (O’Brien I think) said it was happening (though I don’t think they said when) while they were talking about how the program is honoring great past UVa teams all-season.
3 Likes
That Houston game was the toughest crowd I’ve ever dealt with. I’m usually a super early in the door but that day I got there about 15 minutes before tipoff. Literally couldn’t find parking…
This could be a fun exercise, what were the actual biggest crowds in JPJ? (Obviously plenty of sellouts, but physically the biggest/loudest)
I’d say Cuse 14, Duke 15, UNC 16, Duke 19 and that Houston game were top 5 for me.
3 Likes
I know you’re not really supposed to but we always park at Barracks Road on the end near the arena. Cut through the back way (not down Emmett) and through the back of the parking garage and you’re there in 10 minutes tops. Makes leaving the game way easy with traffic too.
3 Likes
This game will be interesting for the team from a psychological standpoint. We are now the big fish with a target on our backs. Does the team come in and play lazy from the praise or are they locked in?
1 Like
Not too worried about a road game vs a recent top 25 team. They should be locked.
From that perspective, I’m more worried about the doldrum late Jan / Feb games against the GT/BC caliber teams or a click above.
Tony dominated those
(Eg @FSU)
5 Likes
I think this team is too experienced to come out flat enough against teams like BC/GT to lose due to that alone. Maybe if we come out flat AND they catch fire from 3 or something. But this team feels so well coached and the players are clearly experienced. Those teams can’t keep up w our depth either. I feel like we can go 6-1 to 7-0 in that stretch between UNC and Miami. Toughest outs will be Syracuse and Ohio State.
Go 1-1 over these next two and we’re in great shape. Go 2-0 and we’re seriously competing for the ACC title.
2 Likes
Hardest matchup of the year.
Can we contain Boogie and their other guards? Can our bigs avoid foul trouble vs the huge Turk big they have? Can de Ridder be more effective against an athletic defender like Corey Washington Jr? (Louisville has me less hopeful but excited to be proven wrong).
4 Likes
I actually think it’s a decent matchup.
Their O vs. our D:
- They take a lot of mid-range shots and not as many 3s. Boopie can make his but I think generally we can live with them shooting a lot there.
- Their transition game is their best part of their offense; this is where their 2P scoring and FT drawing are often coming from. We took Louisville’s transition game away and in general are good at limiting transition chances.
- They like to find Yigitoglu on the roll, we like to make that hard for opponents.
- Their offensive rebounding could be a problem, that’s probably our biggest vulnerability.
Our O vs. their D:
- They are #311 in defensive 3P rate. There will be 3s there for the taking.
- Only an OK rim protection team, teams are shooting 59% at the rim against them. This has been their big problem in their losses (Vandy shot 30-39 from 2, LSU 29-43, Clemson 15-25, Duke 14-25).
7 Likes
