Virginia plays their last game of their pre-Christmas schedule Wednesday night at the John Paul Jones Arena. Seattle comes to town, and the 4-10 Redhawks are the Hoos’ third first-time-ever opponent in a row. The Hoos have won five-straight games since the losses to Washington and Wichita State in Hawaii. Those two losses seem like a lifetime ago.
I’m almost certain that Tony Bennett’s team is psyched to get back on the hardwood in order to get the Norfolk State almost-disaster out of the forefront of their collective minds. After two key misses from the line by freshman K.T. Harrell followed by the critical tip-in by center Assane Sene and a defensive stop on the other end, Virginia was able to avoid the embarrassing loss to a one-win team and earn their eighth victory of the young season.
The Hoos will be without their best player Mike Scott again, as he recovers from ankle surgery. They will also be without the services of senior Will Sherrill who is still recovering from the broken leg he suffered in the game up in Minnesota.
Virginia has held three-straight opponents under 50 points, and under Coach Bennett the Hoos are 15-1 when they score more than 70 points.
Seattle employs an up-tempo style of offense, and they are coached by former UCLA Bruin Cameron Dollar. They opened up the season by losing to Maryland 105-76, and before the UMD game had not played an ACC school since they lost to Wake Forest in the 1977-78 season. Dollar was on Lorenzo Romar’s staff at the University of Washington for seven seasons.
The Redhawks like to play a three-guard offense, and they don’t really have a true center. Cervante Burrell averages about 13, and Aaron Broussard pitches in nearly 15 a night.
Prediction? Lots of empty seats, perhaps the most empty the JPJ has ever been for a men’s game, and the Hoos win 65-55. Go Hoos!