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3 players, 2 matchups, and 1 prediction: Virginia at Wake Forest

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3 players, 2 matchups, and 1 prediction: Virginia at Wake Forest


Virginia Basketball can’t win on the road. Not right now, anyway. The last three road games have all been blowouts. For many years, Virginia has consistently won on the road. People say “defense travels” and that was often true for those teams. But this team isn’t playing defense on the road. In those three losses, the opposing teams have scored 1.17 points per possession. That would rank in the bottom 10 nationally.

The Wahoos now travel to Winston-Salem to face another solidly mediocre ACC team in Wake Forest. They are coming off a road loss against Florida State on Tuesday, but they beat Miami last weekend. They are 11-4 (3-1 ACC), and ranked 44th on KenPom. The Wahoos have plummeted all the way to 60th on KenPom.

Game Time: Saturday, January 13, 2PM Eastern
TV: ESPN2
Streaming: WatchESPN

Three Players to Watch

Kevin “Boopie” Miller

Like so many teams these days, Wake Forest is led by transfers. Miller comes in from Central Michigan. They also have transfers from Gonzaga and Delaware. Four of their five starters come via transfer. Miller missed most of last season with a foot injury. He hasn’t missed a beat.

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Boopie runs the point and leads the team in scoring and assists, plus steals. Something I say over and over again, but Miller has never faced a defender like Beekman. Reece is going to have to be on point defensively, because Miller can score.

Some kinda move and finish. Miller can shoot (39% this year, 37% career). But this is more his game. He takes just around 3 treys per game. He’s best going downhill to the rim to either finish or draw a foul.

Andrew Carr

Another transfer, Carr actually came in last season, so he’s got some experience in the system. Last year, he averaged 11 and 6 on 48% shooting. He attempted around 3 treys per game, making just 31%.

He’s improved every one of those numbers since last year, and he’s up to 13 points and 7.5 rebounds on 53% shooting and 35% from downtown. Maybe he comes back closer to where he was last year by the end of ACC play. But that’s still a very good player, and it does seem like Carr has improved. He’s 6’10” 220, and this is the type of player Virginia has struggled with.

The Deacons have a seven-footer in Efton Reid (5-star recruit originally from Richmond, began at LSU and transferred to Gonzaga and now to Wake Forest), which makes Carr the 4. They’ll go small with Carr at 5 sometimes, but that is their starting lineup. And that type of lineup has given Virginia fits this year. Ryan Dunn is a beast defensively. On the perimeter. But he isn’t really up to banging inside with bigger players. He’s too slight. And Virginia doesn’t have enough frontcourt depth to move Dunn to the wing.

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If Virginia is going to win this game, keeping Carr off the offensive glass and out of the paint is absolutely imperative.

Again, the outside shot isn’t really his game. But this was a HUGE shot, on the road at BC, and it clinched the game. Notice Nice drive and kick from Miller.

Parker Friedrichsen

This is Wake’s answer to Isaac McKneely. He’s a 6’3” 195 freshman and he can shoot. But he doesn’t do much else. His rebound rate is miniscule. His assist rate is miniscule. He’s attempted 70 shots on the season and just 4(!) have come from 2-point range. That’s 94%! It’s a small sample size, but Friedrichsen does look solid defensively.

Friedrichsen is 8/20 from downtown over his past 3 games. McKneely is 9/17 over his last 3. That matchup at the 2 could be a key factor. If one of them gets going from deep, it could turn the game.

This is a sick step-back. How do you stop that?

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Two Key Matchups

Three Point Shooting

It isn’t just Friedrichsen. This whole team can shoot the rock. Cameron Hildreth, the longest tenured Deacon, is shooting 46% on 4 attempts per game. As a team, they are shooting just under 38%. It’s the most important part of their offense because it drives everything else they do.

Look at that game clinching three from Andrew Carr. At the beginning of the play, there isn’t a single Deacon inside the three-point line. Efton Reid is setting a screen up top for Miller, and the rest of the team are spotting up outside the arc. That means the paint is open, which makes the defender crash when Miller gets inside. That leaves the shooter open. Rotations against this offense have to be crisp, or there are going to be open threes.

Wake is a small team on the perimeter and they aren’t good at defending the outside. In their four losses, their opponents shot almost 40% from three. That’s what this game will be. If Virginia makes shots, they are in it. If they don’t make shots, they won’t be in it.

Turnovers

I’ve discussed this here before, but the extra possessions gained by Virginia’s forced turnovers was really helping to drive the offense. An offense that simply isn’t very good, gets a huge boost from easy buckets.

NC State had just 6 TOs in their runaway win. It’s safe to say that if Virginia has more TOs than their opponent, they are going to struggle to win.

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Historically, Tony Bennett’s teams haven’t been geat at forcing TOs. The goal is usually to force bad shots, not to force turnovers. The national championship team ranked 250th in forced turnover rate. It’s because of the natural talents of Beekman and Dunn, mostly. But it may also have been covering for some other defensive shortcomings. That only works if teams actually commit turnovers, though.

Wake Forest is a low turnover team. They play a lot of iso ball and a lot of screen-and-roll. Not a ton of passing from guys not named Miller. The Deacons rank 312th nationally in assist rate. That’s usually a bad thing against Tony Bennett teams. Not sure about this team right now though.

One Prediction

Wake is much more of a perimeter oriented team, compared to NC State. That matchup never looked great because of the Wolfpack’s interior presence. It feels like a better matchup for the Hoos. But until we see this team play well on the road, it is awfully hard to think they are going to win anything.

Prediction: Deacons 69, Virginia 60



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Giants will hold 2026 training camp in West Virginia

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Giants will hold 2026 training camp in West Virginia


The New York Giants will be forced to hold their 2026 training camp, the first with John Harbaugh as head coach, out of state.

Per a report from the New York Post, the Giants will hold what will likely be the first two weeks of training camp in West Virginia at the Greenbrier Resort, located in White Sulpher Springs.

Part of the reason for the move is the fact that World Cup games will be held at MetLife Stadium this summer. There is also ongoing construction at the Giants’ facility at 1925 Giants Drive. The Giants are expanding their locker room, weight room, dining facility and office space at their headquarters, constructed in 2009. That work began before Harbaugh was named head coach.

NFL teams have used the Greenbier extensively since 2014, when it was first established to host training camp for the New Orleans Saints. The Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns have held training camps there, and other have practiced there during extended road trips.

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The facility has two grass fields and a FieldTurf field, as well as all of the other accommodations an NFL needs.

The Giants have trained at their own Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, N.J. since 2013.

Exact dates for NFL training camps have not yet been set, but the starting date is generally some time in late July. Per the Post, most practices at the Greenbrier are expected to be open to the public.



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Senate approves lawmaker pay raise as teacher pay hike stalls in Virginia budget talks

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Senate approves lawmaker pay raise as teacher pay hike stalls in Virginia budget talks


As the legislative session in Richmond comes closer to an end, lawmakers are still hard at work hammering out the budget for the year ahead. This year, the Senate has approved a pay raise for lawmakers after tabling bills that would have provided larger pay increases for teachers.

With the cost of living rising, teachers across Virginia have been watching the proposed budget closely and hoping for higher pay.

In February, a bill that would have raised teacher salaries by 4.5% each year until reaching the national average of $77,000 was tabled until next year. The decision left some educators disappointed.

“It’s definitely disappointing. We’re at a time where we are struggling to keep highly qualified staff in the buildings and in the profession, to be quite honest, because we have to compete with other industries,” Karl Loos, president of the Lynchburg Education Association, said.

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SEE ALSO: ‘Strangest election cycle:’ Registrars prepare for referendum vote despite legal limbo

There is still a 3% increase for teachers included in the proposed Senate budget, and a 2% increase in the House of Delegates’ proposed budget. But Loos said a 3% raise only matches the rate of inflation, and will likely not be appealing enough to fill vacant positions.

“I think certainly teacher pay is a deterrent for a lot of people, especially as they see the amount of work that goes into it and the compensation for that work,” Loos said.

The Virginia Education Association also advocated for the 4.5% pay increase. Chad Stewart, the interim director of Government Relations and Research, said they believe budget uncertainty may have made lawmakers hesitant to commit to long-term increases they might not be able to sustain.

According to the State Fiscal Impact Statement, seen below, it would have required an additional $159.0 million in 2027, and increasing amounts for the next couple of years to meet the goal of reaching the national average.

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“We’ve seen commitments going back decades from previous governors who have all stated they want to get the national teacher pay average, but no governor has ever delivered on it,” Stewart said.

Stewart said the average national pay for teachers they are hoping to meet is $77,000, and that the current average salary for teachers in the Commonwealth is around $70,000. He said ultimately it comes down to the budget, and he hopes in the following years teachers will receive that larger pay increase. Stewart said the organization hopes Gov. Spanberger will be the first to follow through on that promise.

Meanwhile, legislation that would increase pay for state lawmakers was passed in the Senate on Thursday. Republican Del. Tim Griffin of the 53rd District said he voted against the measure.

“I was outraged last week when they raised their own pay. I voted against it,” Griffin said. “When you run on affordability, I think people expected it to be more affordable for the people that live and work in Virginia, not for ourselves. It kind of defeats the purpose.”

When asked about the proposed pay increases in the House and the Senate, Campbell County Superintendent Clay Stanley said in a statement, “I am praying for 3%. Our teachers, at minimum, deserve a raise that matches the cost of living increase.”

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ABC13 reached out to local Democratic lawmakers for comment on the teacher pay raise legislation, but did not receive a response.



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Why a 6-year-old with diabetes is pushing for change in Virginia – WTOP News

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Why a 6-year-old with diabetes is pushing for change in Virginia – WTOP News


First grader Ruston Revell is pressing Virginia lawmakers to pass a bill that he argues will make schools safer for kids with diabetes.

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Why a 6-year-old with diabetes is pushing for change in Virginia

Speaking in front of Virginia lawmakers, 6-year-old Ruston Revell needs a wooden stool to reach the microphone for his testimony about diabetes.

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Dressed in his blue suit and red tie, he’s there on a mission.

“Living with diabetes isn’t easy, there are lots of ups and downs — just like my blood sugar,” Ruston told legislators in the Virginia General Assembly.

The legislation that brought Ruston from Prince William County to Richmond would update an existing law to specify how Virginia schools handle accommodations for students with diabetes.

“When I’m at school, my nurse and all my teachers help me when I need it, but not all kids like me are that lucky,” Ruston told WTOP. “These bills change that, so kids with diabetes can be safer in schools.”

He’s testified before committees in both chambers as corresponding bills move through the Virginia General Assembly. HB1301 and SB122 have both earned support in their respective chamber.

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“Although, I’m small, my voice is big and it can change the world,” Ruston said.

In his testimony, the first grader clearly explained the care he requires to manage his Type 1 diabetes during the school day.

“He just pops up on his little stool and takes control of the room,” said Kelly Revell, Ruston’s mom. “It’s usually a little quiet, and after he finishes, he gets a whole room full of applause.”

Today, Ruston enjoys playing baseball, swimming and spending time at the playground.

But things were different before his diagnosis five years ago.

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A life-changing diagnosis at 15 months old

During the summer of 2020, Kelly said her son started showing signs of diabetes, such as extreme thirst — symptoms she recognized because her father had been diagnosed in his 20s.

“He would just lounge around the house and have no interest in playing with his sister,” Kelly said. “He stopped eating, so he was eventually airlifted to Children’s National in D.C., where he was admitted to the pediatric ICU for nearly a week.”

At just 15 months old, Ruston was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Kelly said that news was life-changing.

“Now, in order to keep him alive, we have to hurt him multiple times a day, by giving him four to five shots and even a dozen finger pricks just to make sure his blood sugar is in range,” she recalled.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks cells that make insulin. A lack of insulin can lead to high blood sugar, which could cause serious health issues or be deadly.

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“We had to wake up at 2 a.m. every night for six weeks, before we started utilizing technology, just to make sure that he was safe and healthy with his blood sugar,” Kelly said. “A lot of times, it resulted in phone calls to the hospital because he was at a dangerous level, and then we would be up for hours making sure he was back in range.”

For the Revell family, managing Ruston’s diabetes looks different nowadays.

Ruston Revell, 6, has traveled from Prince William County to Richmond to testify in favor of a bill surrounding Virginia schools and students with diabetes.
(Courtesy Kelly Revell)

Courtesy Kelly Revell

Ruston stands alongside Virginia Sen. Jeremy McPike, who sponsored the bill in the upper chamber
Ruston stands alongside Virginia Sen. Jeremy McPike, who sponsored the bill in the upper chamber.
(Courtesy Kelly Revell)

Courtesy Kelly Revell

Ruston testifying in front of Virginia lawmakers
Ruston and other advocates say the bill would make schools safer for kids with diabetes.
(Courtesy Kelly Revell)

Courtesy Kelly Revell

Ruston and his mom Kelly (middle) have joined other advocates in Richmond to press legislators to pass the bill
Ruston and his mom Kelly (middle) have joined other advocates in Richmond to press legislators to pass the bill.
(Courtesy Kelly Revell)

Courtesy Kelly Revell

Ruston poses in Richmond
The statewide regulations on diabetes care in school haven’t been updated since 1999, Kelly said.
(Courtesy Kelly Revell)

Courtesy Kelly Revell

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How a 6-year-old handles his diabetes

Ruston knows how to prick his finger to check whether his blood sugar is in range.

“My mom and dad help me change my insulin pump every three days, and my CGM every 10 days,” Ruston said, referencing his continuous glucose monitor, known as a CGM.

“It hurts, but at least I don’t have to do shots. They’re the worst.”

Living with diabetes, Ruston needs to calculate the number of carbs he’s getting to determine his insulin dose, which is administered automatically through a pump.

“He is a pro at using a food scale,” Kelly said. “If he wants to eat anything, apple slices, we cut them up, and he puts them on the food scale and determines how many carbs are in that.”

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Halfway through his interview with WTOP, Ruston’s phone beeped, flagging his low blood sugar and triggering a quick juice-box break.

That’s the kind of intervention he could require at school.

“When I’m low, Nurse Barnes tells Ms. Grant for me to have a juice box or gummies,” Ruston said, describing a snack to correct his blood sugar.

At his current school, Kelly said Ruston has had all his medical accommodations met since his first day of kindergarten.

“He gets so many hugs. Everyone knows him. He walks into the front office every day to visit the clinic, and they just they really take care of him,” she said.

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Things were more complicated before Ruston began kindergarten. Kelly said the family was initially told that the accommodations requested by his doctor would not be allowed.

“What was most difficult at the time was the thought that a kindergartener would be responsible for alerting adults if his phone signaled a low or high blood sugar, rather than having trained staff receive those alerts directly through available technology,” she told WTOP.

The situation was resolved, but it drew Kelly’s attention toward legal protections for kids with diabetes.

What Kelly and Ruston are asking Virginia lawmakers to do

ruston stands at podium talking
Ruston told lawmakers about his experience managing diabetes during the school day. (Courtesy Kelly Revell)

For the past several years, Kelly has been involved with an advocacy group, FOLLOWT1Ds, which argues that unclear or inconsistent school policies can create stress for families and put kids in danger.

“Prince William County has updated their diabetes policies recently, so more students with diabetes across our county are better protected,” Kelly said. “But that’s not happening everywhere in Virginia.”

The bills moving through the Virginia legislature would require school systems to create a divisionwide plan for supporting students with diabetes.

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That would include making sure school staff are trained to follow through with a child’s medical orders.

“You really have to put in all of your trust in your school,” Kelly said. “This is a life-threatening disease, and if they forget to give him a juice box when he’s low, that can result in him going to the hospital, or it could be fatal.”

The legislation would also require schools have procedures for administering insulin and glucagon.

Families who have students with diabetes would send schools medical orders from their doctors that outline the child’s needs.

“A lot of times, the schools will either deny or modify these accommodations, even though they’re medically necessary,” Kelly said.

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The statewide regulations haven’t been updated since 1999, Kelly said.

“While we’ve had all of these technology advances, like the insulin pump and the CGM, Virginia still hasn’t advanced their laws to align with standard methods of care that we’re using today,” Kelly said.

Ruston doesn’t receive insulin shots anymore. But Virginia law is behind on that front, according to Kelly and other advocates.

“Right now, the policy in Virginia, if his pump were to fall off while at school, they would, instead of reinsert the pump, they would give him a shot,” Kelly said.

In that scenario, Kelly said the school employee would have to calculate how much insulin to dose.

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“I wouldn’t even know what to dose him, because with the pump, it’s automated nowadays,” she said. “It would require an immediate call to his doctor for guidance.”

She worries that it could lead to a miscalculation and health complications.

Kelly said the lack of consistency can impact older students, too. She said some high schoolers have gotten in trouble for having their cellphones at schools that ban the devices.

But those phones let students monitor their blood sugar, communicate medical treatments and administer insulin.

It’s the second year in a row that advocates like Kelly have asked legislators in Richmond to approve revisions to state law.

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This time, Ruston is joining the push for change by sharing his story with lawmakers.

“I want to make sure other kids in different schools can have more help with diabetes,” Ruston told WTOP.

Anyone interested in following the legislation or submitting a comment to lawmakers can find more information on FOLLOW T1Ds’ website.

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