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The Plus/Minus: Virginia Basketball Throttles Coppin State

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The Plus/Minus: Virginia Basketball Throttles Coppin State


In a buy-game special, the Virginia Cavaliers overwhelmed the Coppin State Eagles in pretty much every facet of the game.  This game gave Virginia the chance to try out a new point guard and give more run to Jacob Cofie, who looks like he’s going to be Virginia’s most-impactful newcomer.  Better competition awaits, but for now we’ll just review this game.

Plus

A win is a win is a win.  Coppin State is not the team that Campbell was, and the disparity in talent  made for uninspiring viewing if you weren’t a Cavalier fan.  Virginia’s non-conference slate has gotten less inspiring in recent years, but for interim head coach Ron Sanchez, you can only play the teams that are in front of you.  Four Wahoos – Dai Dai Ames, Isaac McKneely, Elijah Saunders and Jacob Cofie – all reached double figures.

Plus

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Andrew Rohde was the announced starter at point guard, and he came out and warmed up, but he was a gametime scratch.  Christian Bliss didn’t dress out for the second straight game.  (Jalen Warley is long gone.)  Virginia had exactly one healthy lead guard, but fortunately Dai Dai Ames was up to the task.  He did not impress in his 10-minute stint against Campbell, but he looked a like a completely different player this go round.  He scored Virginia’s opening basket on the night, an and-one, was 2/3 from deep, and had three assists against zero turnovers.  It could take Rohde three games to match Ames’ 13 points in this game.  Now, he doesn’t look like he’s going to push the pace much – Virginia had 61 possessions this game versus 55 against Campbell and it took seven possessions in two minutes late in the 2nd half to get there – but Ames showed he could get into the paint, showcasing the best point guard touch in the lane since Ty Jerome.  Sure, it was against substandard competition, but Ames certainly deserves a longer look as the team’s point guard.

Plus

With 3:20 remaining the first half, Coppin State was still hanging around and Virginia’s lead was just 23-14.  Isaac McKneely poured in three threes in less than two minutes to break open the game and give Virginia a 32-16 lead.  McKneely went 4/8 from beyond the arc and helped Virginia go 9/27 from deep.  Now, that’s just 33% and that’s not great, but seeing Virginia attempt that many threes is a good sign.

Minus

Ames went 2/3 from beyond the arc and Elijah Saunders was 1/2, but TJ Power, Ishan Sharma and Taine Murray went 1/13.  Again, 27 attempts is a better reflection of the modern game, but McKneely is going to need more help.

Plus

After blitzing Campbell in the first half, Jacob Cofie was largely silent in the first against Coppin State.  He came out blazing in the second half, scoring all 11 of his points – a perfect 4/4 from the line and 1/1 from deep – enroute to an 11-rebound double-double.  Cofie played the Ryan Dunn role to perfection, adding three blocks, four steals and a pair of assists.  He’s had a magical two games.  Even when he loses the ball on a steal and fast break, he’s able to convert:

Minus

Conversely, it’s been a rough start for TJ Power, who went 1/6 from deep and is looking like the guy who got dropped to mop-up minutes for Duke last year.  With the emergence of Cofie, he’s going to struggle for minutes, but maybe Power can fill the role of glue guy for the team.  His +22 plus/minus was the second-highest (only behind Ames) on the team.

Plus

Elijah Saunders looks like he’s going to be able to give Virginia a post-up game.  He flashed a sweet hook turnaround against Campbell, and he had two nice post-ups on this night.  He was 1/2 from three and a perfect 4/4 from the line.

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More: Matt’s Five Takeaways

Plus

Speaking of which, the team shot 11/12 from the charity stripe with the only miss coming from the normally reliable McKneely.  Given the adventures this team has had from the pinstripe the past couple of years, the contributions made by Cofie, Saunders and Ames are most welcome.

Minus

Taine Murray had a night to forget.  Twice he stepped on the line driving to the bucket, just two of a whopping six turnovers on the night.  He airballed a three, and most egregiously, he had a poor closeout and subsequently fouled on a made three, giving Coppin State a 4-point play.  He got 18 minutes, which might be the earliest indicator of the difference between the coaching of Tony Bennett and Ron Sanchez.  I suspect Bennett would never have given Murray this kind of burn with the night he was having.

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Plus

Anthony Robinson made his long-awaited debut and had a beautiful little finish for his first points as a Cavalier.  It was widely presumed that Robinson would bring defensive energy to the floor, but this is a sweet touch.

Next Up: Virginia travels to Baltimore on Friday to take on Villanova in the Hall of Fame Series. Game time is 5:00pm and will be shown on TNT. I’ll be at the game, so hit me up on Twitter (X) @JerzyWalker.

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Virginia Basketball Beats Coppin State 62-45 | Key Takeaways

Virginia vs. Coppin State Live Updates | NCAA Men’s Basketball

UVA Basketball: Christian Bliss Injury Update, Point Guard Situation

Jacob Cofie Shines in Debut, Leads UVA Basketball to Season Opening Win

Why Did Tony Bennett Retire? UVA Basketball Coach Explains Decision

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Man shot, killed by Virginia trooper ID’d after crash ends in deadly stabbing attack

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Man shot, killed by Virginia trooper ID’d after crash ends in deadly stabbing attack


Virginia State Police have identified the man who was shot and killed by a trooper after a crash ended in a stabbing attack on Interstate 495 Sunday afternoon.

Jared Llamado, 32, of McLean, died at the hospital on Sunday after he was shot.

RELATED | 2 dead, dog killed after stabbing spree, trooper shooting on I-495 in Fairfax County

Investigators said Llamado was confronted by the trooper who opened fire around 1:17 p.m. The trooper was responding to a report of a road rage incident and found Llamado with a knife, according to a news release.

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Four stabbing victims, all women, were also found at the scene, along with a dog that was also stabbed.

Michelle Adams, 39, died from her injuries. The dog also did not survive. The three other women were all taken to the hospital with serious injuries, according to VSP. 7News is not identifying the surviving victims.

Investigators said the stabbings stemmed from a crash in the southbound lanes of I-495.

The trooper who opened fire was not hurt and is on leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the use of force.

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Investigators said they do not believe the attack is connected to terrorism.



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Two dead after I-495 road rage incident leads to stabbing, Virginia State Police shooting – WTOP News

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Two dead after I-495 road rage incident leads to stabbing, Virginia State Police shooting – WTOP News


A road rage incident led to a shooting involving the Virginia State Police on Sunday on Interstate 495. Four individuals were also stabbed.

Two people are dead Sunday in Annandale, Virginia, after a road rage incident led to a shooting involving Virginia State Police on Interstate 495.

A release issued by the Virginia State Police said a trooper fatally shot a man after responding to a report of a road rage incident on the southbound lanes of I-495 just before 1:30 p.m. at exit 52, near the Little River Turnpike.

The man, transferred to a hospital with serious injuries, has been pronounced dead. VSP said the trooper shot in self-defense after the man confronted him with a knife.

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The trooper did not suffer any injuries during the altercation.

Officials found four stabbing victims at the scene, but only identified a 39-year-old woman and a dog. Both the woman and the dog died.

Early findings suggest the stabbings took place after a crash on the Capital Beltway. The crash remains under investigation.

The VSP’s release comes after the main lanes of the Capital Beltway Outer Loop, before Little River Turnpike, were closed to traffic for several hours, only recently opening the express lanes. Main lanes between Arlington Boulevard and the Little River Turnpike remain closed.

Stay with WTOP for the latest developments.

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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.



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Virginia Huffman Obituary February 27, 2026 – Ott & Lee Funeral Homes

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Virginia Huffman Obituary February 27, 2026 – Ott & Lee Funeral Homes


Mary “Virginia” Huffman, 82, of Pelahatchie, Mississippi, passed away on February 27, 2026.

Born on February 28, 1943, in Morton, Mississippi, she was the daughter of Carl and Nannie Mae Bradshaw. She married the love of her life, Jimmy Lavell Huffman, on June 14, 1963, and together they built a life rooted in faith, family, and hard work. Virginia devoted nearly 50 years to teaching high school math, beginning at Morton High School and later serving at East Rankin Academy. Generations of students were shaped by her steady guidance, high expectations, and deep belief in their potential. Many would say they entered college prepared because they had learned from “Mrs. Huffman.” Her students knew the famous “Mrs. Huffman look,” but no one understood it quite like her children and grandchildren. To many, she was more than a teacher—she was a mentor, encourager, and second mother.

A faithful member of Cross Roads Baptist Church, Virginia was a true matriarch and prayer warrior whose life was anchored in her love for the Lord. She woke each morning to study the Word of God and carried that faith into every conversation, classroom, and season of life. She played piano and organ, sang in the choir, and on Sunday mornings could often be found at home practicing the piano before church—something her family dearly loved listening to. She served her church and community with quiet devotion. Whether tutoring students during the summer, helping families in need, or visiting church members, she consistently lived out a servant’s heart.

She loved farm life—raising chickens and cows, cutting hay, tending her flower beds, and cooking for the people she loved. She was especially known for her strawberry pies, egg custard, and caramel cake (see Cheryl Moore for the recipe). She faithfully attended her grandchildren’s sporting events and found her greatest joy in cheering on her family. She loved deeply and wholeheartedly, treating not only her own children and grandchildren as treasures, but embracing many others in her community as if they were her own.

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She is survived by her husband, Jimmy Lavell Huffman; her children, Connie Goodman (Mike), Karen Jones, and Jade Huffman; her grandchildren, Christin (Colby) (Candace), Christopher (Victoria), Dillon, Marley, Halle (Elijah), Kyla Kate, and Eli; her great-grandchildren, Autumn, Titus, Sophia, Liam, Scarlett, Luke, and Ava; and her siblings, Paul (Joyce) and Delilah.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Nannie Mae Bradshaw; her in-laws, Clyde Sr. and Zora Huffman; her son, Scot Huffman; and her sisters, May Erving and Maxine Strong.

Virginia will be remembered as a woman of unwavering faith, steadfast strength, and extraordinary love. Her legacy lives on in the family she nurtured, the students she prepared, and the countless lives she covered in prayer.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – until on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at Cross Roads Baptist Church in Pelahatchie and again on Monday, March 2, 2026 from 12 pm – 1 pm.  

Services will be held at 1pm Monday, March 2, 2026 at Cross Roads Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery.  

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Bro. John Vaughn, Bro. Gary Morris and Bro. Steven Platt will officate the services.

Pallbearers will be Tim Wolverton, Colby Boyd, Christopher Wilson, Dillon Pettigrew, Eli Huffman and Elijah Moore.

Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Morton is honored to serve the Huffman family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Cross Roads Baptist Church Building Fund.

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