Virginia

Virginia sputters into March by getting rolled at No. 10 Duke

Published

9 months ago

March 2, 2024

Virginia sputters into March by getting rolled at No. 10 Duke

DURHAM, N.C. — Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett stood by the bench for long stretches of the Cavaliers’ game Saturday night, his hands clenched behind his back as he stared in frustration at what was unfolding amid the frenzied atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Occasionally he would hang his head when No. 10 Duke uncorked another dunk as part of an overwhelming performance inside, where Bennett’s vaunted pack-line defense typically thrives. But lately the Cavaliers’ trademark has been betraying them, leading to results such as this 73-48 loss that continued a spiral with the postseason around the corner.

Virginia (21-9, 12-7 ACC) lost for the third time in four games after permitting 44 points in the paint and 49.2 percent shooting to a team it had been chasing for second place in the conference. The Cavaliers instead are assured to finish no higher than third in the race for seeding in the ACC tournament.

The schools with the four best records in the conference receive double byes in the ACC tournament, which begins March 12 at Capital One Arena. With one game remaining, the Cavaliers have much to fix if they are to make a deep run.

Reece Beekman led the Cavaliers with 18 points to go with seven assists and six rebounds. The senior guard and reigning ACC defensive player of the year shot 7 for 15 and committed four of Virginia’s dozen turnovers that led to 16 points for the Blue Devils (23-6, 14-4). Sophomore guard Isaac McKneely added 12 points but was 3 for 11 from the field.

No other Cavaliers reached double figures in points on a night Virginia went 5 for 17 (29.4 percent) on three-pointers and 9 for 13 (69.2) at the foul line. The Cavaliers are the worst foul shooting team in the conference, a major concern for a team that favors low-possession games.

Virginia shot 30.9 percent overall to fall to 1-3 against ranked opponents, including 0-2 in the ACC. It led for just 15 seconds in its failed bid to win two games in a row at Cameron Indoor for the first time since 1982. The Cavaliers won, 69-68, here in 2022, when Beekman made a three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left.

The Blue Devils had three players score in double digits Saturday, led by Kyle Filipowski’s game-high 21 points on 9-for-14 shooting to go with seven rebounds. The 7-foot sophomore center, last season’s ACC rookie of the year, was playing his second straight game since requiring assistance reaching the locker room following getting caught in a court storming by Wake Forest fans celebrating a triumph Feb. 24.

Guard Tyrese Proctor had 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting for the Blue Devils, who held a 42-29 advantage in rebounding. Four Duke players finished with at least five rebounds.

The outcome was all but a formality after Virginia wilted at both ends of the court on the way to falling behind 40-18 at halftime. The Cavaliers permitted 28 points in the paint, including four dunks, and yielded a 13-2 run that pushed the Blue Devils’ lead to 38-13 with 4:32 to play in the first half.

The Cavaliers missed five layups and went 1 for 6 on three-pointers in a disastrous opening 20 minutes. They also committed seven turnovers after entering the weekend leading the country in fewest turnovers per game (8.2).

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Virginia

Suspect steals property from store, assaults employee in Virginia

Published

4 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Press Room

Suspect steals property from store, assaults employee in Virginia

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – A man has been arrested after entering a store in McLean, stealing merchandise and assaulting an employee.

The suspect has been identified as Calvin Hughes Jr, of Washington D.C.

Leesburg Pike robbery suspect

Police responded to the 8300 block of Leesburg Pike in McLean for a commercial robbery on November 21 around 11:00 a.m. According to police, the suspect entered the store, stole merchandise, and assaulted an employee.

Hughes Jr. was identified and arrested nearby for robbery and is being held without bond.

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Virginia

Sunshine State Bound Wolverines Ready for Virginia Tech at Fort Myers Tipoff – University of Michigan Athletics

Published

12 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Press Room

Sunshine State Bound Wolverines Ready for Virginia Tech at Fort Myers Tipoff – University of Michigan Athletics

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan men’s basketball team (4-1) hits the road to take on Virginia Tech (3-2) at the Fort Myers Myers Tip-Off on Monday (Nov. 25) at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Opening tip is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on FS1.

Notes

• There will be eight teams in two divisions competing in the Fort Myers Tipoff. Michigan is among four teams in the Beach Division along with South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Xavier. The Palms Division features Miami (Ohio), Jacksonville, Mercer and Siena.

• The Maize and Blue faces Virginia Tech in its Beach Division opener on Monday. After a prep day, Michigan plays either South Carolina or Xavier in the consolation (6 p.m.) or championship (8:30 p.m.) on Wednesday (Nov. 27).

• After Thanksgiving, the Michigan women’s team plays at the Fort Myers Tipoff, in Shell Division play. Kim Barnes Arico’s Wolverines open with Belmont (Nov. 29; 2 p.m.) and play either Virginia Tech or Davidson on Saturday (Nov. 30) in the consolation (2 p.m.) or championship (5 p.m.).

• Michigan is 4-2 all-time against Virginia Tech. After winning the first four games in the series, the Wolverines have dropped the last two. U-M faces Virginia Tech for the first time in eight years, last playing in 2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Crisler Center. All six games in this series have been part of a tournament or specialty event.

• Michigan is 3-3 all-time against South Carolina. The Wolverines could face the Gamecocks for the first time in six years, with the teams having faced off in the second game of a home-and-home series played in 2018. There have been three games in Ann Arbor, and two in Columbia. The lone neutral-site game was the championship of the 2006 NIT in Madison Square Garden (U-M lost 76-64).

• Michigan is 3-1 all-time against Xavier. Two of the four games have been played in the postseason. The first came in the 1984 NIT quarterfinals — a 63-62 U-M win — as the Wolverines went on to claim their first NIT title. The second was in the 1989 NCAA first round — a 92-87 U-M win — which was the launching point for the Maize and Blue on its way its first national championship. The last meeting between the Wolverines and Musketeers was in the 2015 Gavitt Games (Big Ten vs. Big East) at Crisler Center — nine years ago (U-M lost 86-70).

• ?Michigan wrapped up a three-game homestand (3-0) and improved to 4-1 overall. Now, U-M plays five of its next six games on the road. The Wolverines will be away from Ann Arbor for seven of its next 10 games.

• U-M is shooting 52.8 percent from the field, which ranks 15th nationally. Seven Wolverines are shooting above 50 percent as Tre Donaldson leads U-M shooting 62.2 percent (23-for-37).

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Virginia

West Virginia Mountaineers: Commitment 101: Jahmir Davis

Published

20 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

West Virginia Mountaineers: Commitment 101: Jahmir Davis

Cincinnati (Oh.) La Salle 2025 offensive tackle Jahmir Davis has committed to West Virginia.

The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder, picked the Mountaineers after a weekend official visit to campus where he earned a scholarship offer from the Big 12 Conference program.

The Buckeye State product also held offer from Marshall and Kent State but had been on the West Virginia radar since the summer.

That interest picked up over the past several weeks after a strong senior season where he earned Division II Southwest District All Star first-team selection honors.

Davis was recruited by recruiting coordinators Trey Neyer and Ken Signoretti and then developed into a connection with offensive line coach Matt Moore.

The offensive tackle fills a need for West Virginia in the 2025 class and becomes the third offensive lineman to commit to the program this cycle behind Olney (Md.) Good Counsel 2025 offensive lineman Gavin Crawford and Olney (Md.) Good Counsel offensive lineman Eidan Buchanan.

Overall, Davis is the 23rd prospect to commit to West Virginia in the 2025 class.

WVSports.com breaks down the commitment of Davis and what it means to the West Virginia Mountaineers football program both now and in the future.

Skill set:

Davis possesses excellent size and good athleticism for an offensive tackle. He also has an impressive wingspan which is going to help him in his role at the position. An under-the-radar type, West Virginia has had a lot of success over the years with identifying these athletic body types and molding them for their roles along the offensive front and Davis has the potential to do the same.

The Mountaineers needed to find another tackle type body in this class and Davis checks that box physically, while also impressing with his play on the field as a senior.

Fitting the program:

West Virginia needed more offensive tackle body types in the program with the Mountaineers set to lose both of their starters from the 2024 season to graduation. Buchanan is a major piece to that puzzle, but Davis is also is exactly what the doctor ordered. An intriguing frame, with plus athleticism, Davis is going to need to develop his body at the college level and fill out but has the physical qualities that you’re looking for at tackle.

The offensive lineman has already visited Morgantown so there is a comfort level there and he should be able to step and in start that process in an offensive line room that will lose four players at the end of the year.

West Virginia has continued to make Ohio a key state when it comes to targeting players and Davis is just the latest to join the program in the past couple seasons.

Recruiting the position:

In terms of offensive tackles Davis fills the need there but the Mountaineers are still recruiting one key target on the offensive line in Ohio commitment Parma (Oh.) Padua Franciscan 2025 offensive lineman Brandon Homady. Like Davis, Homady took an official visit over the weekend to Morgantown and the Mountaineers have made him a priority down the stretch as an interior option on the offensive front.

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