Game facts
NC State (12-5, 2-2 ACC) at No. 3 Virginia (15-1, 4-0 ACC)
Game time: Sunday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m. — John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.
Television: ESPNU
Probable starters
NC State
PG — 10 Braxton Beverly (6-0, 180, Fr, 10.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.5 apg)
SG — 12 Allerik Freeman (6-3, 210, 5th-Sr, 15.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.4 spg)
SF — 2 Torin Dorn (6-5, 210, R-Jr, 13.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 spg)
PF — 0 Abdul-Malik Abu (6-8, 240, Sr, 7.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.5 apg)
C — 14 Omer Yurtseven (7-0, 245, Soph., 12.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 0.4 apg, 1.9 bpg)
Virginia
PG — 11 Ty Jerome (6-5, 200, Soph., 9.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.2 spg)
SG — 5 Kyle Guy (6-2, 175, Soph., 15.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.1 spg)
G — 0 Devon Hall (6-5, 211, R-Sr., 11.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.4 apg)
PF — 21 Isaiah Wilkins (6-7, 227, Sr., 6.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.6 bpg)
C — 33 Jack Salt (6-10, 250, R-Jr., 3.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.4 apg)
Virginia
Location: Charlottesville, Va.
Nickname: Cavaliers
2016-17 record: 23-11 overall, 11-7 ACC
2017 postseason: Lost 65-39 to Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament
Coach: Tony Bennett 12th season overall (272-117) and ninth at Virginia (203-84).
Notes
Virginia season overview: The Cavaliers have a young nucleus that is proving to be ready earlier than planned.
UVa has only lost once this season — 68-61 at West Virginia on Dec. 5 — and have won by at least seven points in every victory except a narrow 59-58 win vs. Boston College to open ACC play Dec. 30.
In theory, the Cavaliers were expected to go through a bit of a transition year after losing Marial Shayok (Iowa State), Darius Thompson (Western Kentucky) and Jarred Reuter (George Mason) to transfer, and Memphis transfer Austin Nichols proving to be a disaster at the start of last year.
Virginia knocked out North Carolina-Wilmington 76-71 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in new NC State coach Kevin Keatts’ last game with the Seahawks. Keatts has called it the toughest coaching defeat of his career.
Virginia tendencies: Virginia can be counted on for three things, terrific defense, low amount of turnovers and will be patient in using the shot clock, looking for a good shot.
To that end, the Cavaliers lead the ACC in allowing just 53.0 points per game and opponents are shooting a miserable 36.1 percent from the field.
UVa is sixth in the ACC in shooting 47 percent from the field and are just ahead of NC State with a 5.19 turnover margin. The Cavaliers have committed just 9.0 turnovers per contest.
Virginia played just eight players in the 68-61 home win over Syracuse, one of the bench players logged just three minutes (Nigel Johnson). The Cavaliers played 14 minutes without a true center on the court against both Syracuse and North Carolina over the last two contests.
Virginia is one of the few schools to utilize redshirting players. Senior Devon Hall, junior Jack Salt, sophomore Mamadi Diakite and freshmen De’Andre Hunter and Jay Huff, all redshirted. Hall and Diakite both enrolled earlier than anticipated from high school and redshirted. Freshman forward Francesco Badocchi of Italy is redshirting this season.
Virginia has a seven-game home winning streak against NC State and coach Tony Bennett is 10-2 vs. the Wolfpack, with both losses coming in the ACC Tournament.
Perimeter: Sophomore Kyle Guy is the one Virginia player where offense comes easily for him.
The sharpshooter is a former NC State recruiting target, and he lit up NC State last year for 19 points and five three-pointers in the lone meeting last year, a 70-55 win in Raleigh on Feb. 25, 2017.
Guy might be undersized, but he combines great range with the ability to move off the ball to free himself up for shots. He gunned down VCU with 29 points and five three-pointers in a 76-67 win on Nov. 17. He has scored in double figures in all but three games, and is shooting 44.2 percent from three-point range.
Sophomore Ty Jerome has inherited the point guard spot from four-year starter London Perrantes. He had his breakout performance with 31 points and six three-pointers in the Boston College win.
The steady Jerome has had 10 games with one turnover or less, and has reached double figures for points in six contests. He is shooting an impressive 43.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Hall entered college as a point guard, but has morphed into a Swiss Army knife for the Cavaliers. Hall is also enjoying his best college season, and coming off having 13 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the 68-61 win over Syracuse last Tuesday.
Hall has improved from 37.2 percent from three-point land last year to an impressive 44.6 percent from beyond the arc, giving the Cavaliers three legit threats on the perimeter.
Hall made all four three-pointers en route to 16 points and seven assists in the 61-49 win vs. North Carolina on Jan. 6. Hall also had a season-high 20 points and went 4 of 6 on three-pointers in a 80-60 win over Davidson on Dec. 16. He has reached at least 10 points in 10 games.
Former Kansas State and Rutgers player Nigel Johnson backs up the various guards. The 6-1, 182-pound graduate transfer averaged 11.3 points per game and shot 35 percent from three-point land last year at Rutgers. His numbers are down but he is still shooting 35.5 percent from beyond the arc, while averaging 6.1 points in 18.5 minutes per contest. He flashed his old scoring self with 22 points and three three-pointers in the Davidson win.
Frontcourt: Senior Isaiah Wilkins provides the heart and soul to the Cavaliers defense. The stepson of former NBA super star Dominique Wilkins, the power forward had eight points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in the Boston College win. He ahda season-high 19 points and six boards in a 70-55 win over Rhode Island on Nov. 24, but has only reached double figures twice this season.
Wilkins is shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 76.9 percent at the free-throw line, and has blocked at least two shots in eight contests.
Salt and Diakite tag-team the center position. Salt is a physical performer but limited offensively. The New Zealand product shoots 66.7 percent from the field, but is a liability at the free-throw line, though shooting a career-high 52.4 percent this season. Salt had a season-high 10 points, five boards and three blocks in a 78-47 win over Savannah State on Dec. 19.
Diakite was a highly-touted recruit who is still figuring out his immense potential. The 6-9, 228-pounder from Guinea is averaging 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game this season.
Diakite is shooting 59.1 percent from the field and has reached at least 10 points in three contests, including a season-high 12 points and five boards in the 68-42 win vs. Vanderbilt on Nov. 23.
NC State offered small forward De’Andre Hunter early in his prep career. He exploded the summer going into his senior year and picked Virginia, and has been a pleasant surprise this season. He can play both forward spots, but his three-point shooting needs work (just 5 of 25).
The 6-7, 222-pounder has played his best ball in the ACC, with double-digit scoring efforts in three of the first four league contests. He had 15 points against Syracuse and exploded for a career-high 23 points and eight boards in a 73-53 win over Monmouth on Nov. 19.
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