UVa recapPosted Mar26, 2008 at 10:31 PMBradley shot 56.7 percent from the field in the second half Wednesday night and outlasted Virginia 96-85 in a third-round College Basketball Invitational game at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. Senior guard Sean Singletary finished his UVa career with a school-record 55th consecutive double-figure scoring game, although it took 10 points in the final 6:53 for him to finish with 17 points. He also had eight assists. Freshman Jeff Jones was 6-of-8 on 3-pointers and finished with a season-high 26 points for the Cavaliers (17-15). Senior Jeremy Crouch was 5-of-12 on 3-pointers, including 5-for-7 in the second half, and finished with a team-high 27 points for the Braves (20-15). Bradley outrebounded UVa 43-38. More UVa-Old DominionPosted Mar25, 2008 at 12:45 AMEarly Associated Press reports indicated that Virginia would meet Houston in the third round of the College Basketball Invitational, but it will be Bradley coming to John Paul Jones Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m. While the brackets on the cbi2008.com website indicated that the East region would meet the West region in the third round, the fine print said that teams would be reseeded after the second round. Bradley (19-15) trailed 63-49 before going on a 21-3 run with 9:09 remaining. The Braves defeated visiting Ohio University 79-73. Notes from Virginia's 80-76 victory over visiting Old Dominion: VIRGINIA BASKETBALL Team Notes Individual Notes Player Career Highs Quotes: VIRGINIA BASKETBALL Virginia Head Coach Dave Leitao Opening comments: Did Sean create a miracle tonight? On Sean’s last minute three-pointer and steal: Old Dominion Head Coach Blaine Taylor Opening Statement: “I am really proud of our team. There was a point in early February when we were struggling, trying to find ourselves and my older kids really hung in there. Great attitude about whatever it took for our team, and our young kids developed. We had a nice run in February winning six out of seven [games] and of course we made a statement in this tournament that we could have played as well as anybody if we had been given a chance to pursue the next round.” Virginia Senior Point Guard Sean Singletary On his late game steal: On his mindset down the stretch: On this game being memorable: Virginia Sophomore forward Jamil Tucker On Sean’s performance down the stretch: On the team’s defense: On hitting big threes:
On what he thought while Sean Singletary was defending him at the half court: On Sean’s speed: Old Dominion Senior Guard Brian Henderson On the loss:
UVa-Old DominionPosted Mar24, 2008 at 10:27 PMSenior guard Sean Singletary wasn't about to let his celebrated career come to an end Monday as he scored eight points in the final 29.6 seconds in Virginia's 80-76 victory over Old Dominion. The Cavaliers (17-15) advanced to the third round of the College Basketball Invitational and will meet the winner of Monday night's game between Ohio University and Bradley. Will update upon returning to Roanoke. UVa-Richmond recapPosted Mar18, 2008 at 10:28 PMSean Singletary scored on a short jumper with 1:15 remaining to give Virginia its first lead of the second half and the Cavaliers defeated Richmond 66-64 in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational. The Cavaliers, who trailed by 12 points with less than 8 1/2 minutes remaining, will serve as host to a second-round game Monday against Old Dominion. The Monarchs (18-15) held off Rider 68-65 in Norfolk. A crowd of 4,022, smallest in two seasons at John Paul Jones Arema, saw Virginia come back from a 61-49 deficit by holding Richmond to one field goal in its last 14 possessions. The Spiders (16-15) missed 10 of their last 11 shots from the field. Richmond's Dan Geriot, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, led all scorers with 22 points. Singletary, a senior point guard, had a team-high 18 for the Cavaliers (16-15). Junior Mamadi Diane, no longerr a starter for Virginia, played 33 minutes and contributed 15 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. Virginia had 17 turnovers, compared to 10 for the Spiders. UVa outrebounded the visitors 33-25. UVa-GT recapPosted Mar13, 2008 at 10:38 PMGeorgia Tech shot 59.3 percent in the second half and 57.3 for the game Thursday night and eliminated Virginia from the ACC men's basketball tournament in what could be the final game for UVa senior Sean Singletary. Singletary had 20 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and three steals -- team highs in all categories -- in a 94-76 Virginia loss at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Junior forward Mamadi Diane had 18 points for Virginia (15-15) but missed his last six shots after hitting his first seven. Georgia Tech (15-16) had five players in double figures, led by seniors Anthony Morrow and Jeremis Smith with 18 apiece. Morrow had six 3-point field goals and freshman guard Maurice Miller had five as the Yellow Jackets went 13-of-24 from beyond the 3-point arc. UVa coach Dave Leitao did not mention the possibility of postseason play until asked, explaining that a possible bid to the National Invitation Tournament or new College Basketball Invitational "is out of my hands," he said. Georgia Tech meets second-seeded Duke in the quarterfinals tonight at 7. UVa-MarylandPosted Mar09, 2008 at 10:53 PMCHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia point guard Sean Singletary "saved his best for last" in the words of coach Dave Leitao, scoring a game-high 27 points Sunday night in the Cavaliers' 91-76 victory over Maryland. Singletary became the fifth player in UVa history to score 2,000 points in his career, reaching the milestone on a scoop shot with 2:24 remaining. He also had eight assists and tied for team rebounding honors with six. It was the fourth victory in the last six games for the Cavaliers, who finished the regular season in sole possession of 10th place in the ACC and will meet seventh-seeded Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. Thursday at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Virginia (15-14 overall, 5-a11 ACC) shot 62.5 percent from the field during a 55-point second half and finished at 50 percent for the game -- the first team in 44 games to shoot 50 percent against the Terps (18-13, 8-8). UVa had six players in double figures, including junior Mamadi Diane, who scored all 12 of his points after intermission. UVa-Duke recapPosted Mar05, 2008 at 10:18 PMCHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia gave sixth-ranked Duke a game for nearly 15 minutes Wednesday night but fell victim to sloppy first-half ball-handling and shoddy second-half rebounding in an 86-70 loss at John Paul Jones Arena. Senior point guard Sean Singletary scored a team-high 18 points to move past Junior Burrough into fifth place on UVa's all-time scoring list with 1,870 points but could not maintain an early scoring barrage that enabled him to score nine points in the first 5:43. The Cavaliers (14-14 overall, 4-11) led 30-29 following a Mamadi Diane 3-pointer with 6:45 remaining in the first half but did not score another field goal until the second half and trailed 43-31 at the break. Virginia went on a 10-0 run to cut a 19-point Duke lead to 66-57 with 10:34 remaining, but coach Mike Ksrzyzewski called a timeout and the Blue Devils responded by scoring 11 of their next 17 points following offensive rebounds. Sophomore wing Gerald Henderson had 19 points to lead five players in double figures for Duke (26-3, 13-2). The Blue Devils entertain No. 1 North Carolina (28-2, 13-2) in Durham, N.C., in a showdown for the regular-season ACC title. Virginia entertains Maryland at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the final home game for Singletary and two other seniors, Adrian Joseph and Ryan Pettinella. UVa-Ga. Tech recapPosted Mar03, 2008 at 11:48 PMATLANTA -- After visiting Alexander Memorial Coliseum twice in the span of 10 days, Virginia is starting to get a warm feeling for the place. Calvin Baker's 3-point play with 4.2 seconds remaining lifted Virginia to a 76-74 victory over Georgia Tech in a game that originally was postponed Feb. 21. Georgia Tech official Mike Stamus said that the roof had stopped leaking by 9:30 p.m. on the 21st, but Virginia didn't mind the imposition of returning to Atlanta after winning for the third time in four games. The Cavaliers (14-13 overall, 4-10 ACC) had held sole possession of last place in the conference for most of the season but suddenly found themselves in a 10th-place tie with Boston College. North Carolina State dropped to 12th. Virginia avenged a 92-82 overtime loss to Georgia Tech earlier in the season and enjoyed its narrowest margin in a victory this season. The Cavaliers had been 0-5 in games decided by one or two points. Georgia Tech (12-16, 5-9) got a game-high 23 points from reserve Zach Peacock, but Virginia's bench outscored its Georgia Tech counterparts 41-33. Three of Virginia's four double-figure scorers -- Lauris Mikaluaskas, 15; Mamadi Diane, 10, and Baker, 10 -- did not start. Senior guard Sean Singletary led the Cavaliers with 17 points, scoring 15 in the second half for his ACC-leading 49th consecutive game in double figures. Virginia returns to John Paul Jones Arena for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday against Duke (25-3, 12-2). Virginia-N.C. State men's basketballPosted Feb24, 2008 at 08:12 PMCHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia, which had not forced more than 20 turnovers in a game all season, took advantage of 17 first-half N.C. State turnovers Sunday en route to a 78-60 victory at John Paul Jones Arena. It marked the first time that Virginia (13-12 overall, 3-9 ACC) has won consecutive conference games this season, while N.C. State (15-11, 4-8) lost its fifth game in a row. The Wolfpack finished with 25 turnovers, compared to nine for the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers had a season-high steals, including a career-high seven by senior point guard Sean Singletary. Singletary also had 21 points and six assists, game highs in both categories. Coach Dave Leitao said his team's defense in the first half, when it held State to 18 points while committing only three fouls, was the most impressive of his tenure. Basketball game "rained" outPosted Feb21, 2008 at 08:46 PMNo makeup date has been announced for the men's basketball game between Virginia and Georgia Tech that was postponed Thursday night. A wet floor caused Georgia Tech to announce the postponement at 7:30 p.m., 30 minutes after the scheduled tipoff. The Georgia Tech women's team practiced until 5:30 p.m., after which the men's teams took the floor for pregame shootarounds. Managers subsequently discovered droplets near the free-throw line at the east end of the floor. Atlanta has been under a drought watch for most of the year but a steady and sometimes heavy rain hit the area in mid-morning. UVa executive associate athletic director Jon Oliver said the game might be held following the regular season and prior to the ACC Tournament. Virginia-Georgia TechPosted Feb21, 2008 at 07:10 PMOpening game for the men's basketball game between Virginia and Georgia Tech has been delayed at least 20 minutes by a leak in the roof at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Puddles have developed near the foul line at one end of the court. UVa-UNC men's basketballPosted Feb12, 2008 at 10:49 PMWin-starved Virginia came close to an upset of fifth-ranked North Carolina on Tuesday night at John Paul Jones Arena, but emerged with its seventh straight loss, 75-74. Sean Singletary's 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds remaining got the Cavaliers as close as one, but the Cavaliers had used their last timeout and could not foul the Tar Heels until 2.9 seconds remained. Carolina, playing without point guard Ty Lawson for the third straight game, got 23 points from Tyler Hansbrough and 19 from Wayne Ellington. The Tar Heels shot 52.5 plercent from the field and outrebounded the Cavaliers 43-36, scoring 16 points off second-chance baskets. Singletary finished with a game-high 27 points, seven assists and six rebounds. However, reserve Calvin Baker was the only other UVa player in double figures, finishing with 10 after a 3-pointer in the final minute. The Cavaliers needed to hit their last two 3s to finish 9-of-31 from behind the arc. They shot 37.8 percent from the field, the fifth time in the last six games that they have failed to hit 40 percent. UVa dropped to 11-12 overall and 1-9 in the ACC, matching its worst 10-game conference record in 31 years. The Cavaliers have lost seven games in a row and 10 of 11. They also have lost three straight games at John Paul Jones Arena, where they were 16-1 last year. UVa-Wake leadPosted Feb09, 2008 at 07:45 PMThe Cavaliers lost their sixth game in a row and have now dropped nine of 10 games following an 80-64 setback Saturday at Wake Forest. The Cavaliers (11-11 overall, 1-8 ACC) cut the deficit to 67-64 on a layup by Sean Singletary with 3:52 left, but the Deacons (14-8, 4-5) scored the last 13 points and held UVa scoreless in nine straight possessions after going to a zone defense. Virginia shot 33.3 percent for the game, marking the fourth time in five games in which it has failed to shoot 40 percent, and the Cavaliers were only 4-of-19 on 3-pointers. Singletary finished with 21 points, his 44th straight game in double figures, and fifth-year center Ryan Pettinella had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Pettinella went 0-for-5 from the free-throw line and had a sixth attempt nullified when Adrian Joseph jumped into the lane. However, Pettinella's attempt barely grazed the rim. North Carolina comes to Charlottesville on Tuesday. UVa-ClemsonPosted Feb07, 2008 at 10:15 PMJust finished writing my game story on the Virginia-Clemson men's basketball game Thursday night and realize now that I failed to mention there was more booing than I had ever experienced at John Paul Jones Arena. Obviously, the building has been open for only two years, but the Cavaliers have never looked worse, falling to the Tigers 82-51 in a game the Tigers once led by 38 (79-41). Nobody played well for the Cavaliers, including senior point guard Sean Singletary, who finished with 14 points and extended his double-figure scoring streak to 43 games but had five turnovers, four in the first half. Junior small forward Mamadi Diane and the shooting guard threesome of Calvin Baker, Mustapha Farrakhan were a combined 2-for-16 from the field after going 2-for-14 Saturday in a 72-65 overtime loss at Virginia Tech. Diane's annual February swoon is in full swing. K.C. Rivers, who broke J.R. Reynolds' single-game 3-point record at Oak Hill Academy, was 8-for-11 on 3s Thursday night and the Tigers were 16-for-26 as a team. Rivers finished with 32 points, the high for a UVa opponent at JPJ, and Clemson got 16 points, 11 assists, four steals and only two turnovers from senior Cliff Hammonnds, a stopgap point guard who outplayed Singletary (14 points, two assists, zero steals and five turnovers). Singletary called a players-only meeting after UVa's fifth straight loss and eighth in the last nine games. The Cavaliers, who visit Wake Forest on Saturday, fell to 11-10 overall and 1-7 in the ACC. Clemson is 17-5 and 5-3. UVa-Tech from a UVa perspectivePosted Feb02, 2008 at 05:06 PMNot a whole lot different from the Virginia perspective. The Cavaliers have now lost seven of their last eight games -- four after leading by margins of between nine and 13 points -- and have dropped three overtime games in 17 days. Sean Singletary scored a game-high 26 points in a 72-65 OT loss Saturday at Virginia Tech but got little support from veterans Adrian Joseph, Mamadi Diane and Calvin Baker. All came into the game averaging double figures, but they were a combined 5-for-19 from the field and Baker did not score. Virginia, second in the ACC in rebounding margin, was beaten 43-33 on the boards, including 30-17 in the second half and overtime. Tech's freshmen outscored the UVa freshmen 33-9. Lewis Witcher, a Tech sophomore post man from Franklin County, had 10 points in 15 minutes. It's hard to say Virginia didn't try to recruit Witcher; however, its recruiting letter mistakenly was sent to Franklin High School on the other side of the state. True story. Game highlights UVa-Maryland finalPosted Jan30, 2008 at 10:19 PMMaryland shot 51.9 percent from the field and got every rebound down the stretch in holding off Virginia 85-75 at Comcast Center. The Terps (13-8 overall, 3-3 ACC) led 13-2 to start the game and hit their first six shots from the field. Virginia (11-8, 1-5) ditched its customary man-to-man defense in favor of a 2-3 zone that Maryland riddled for seven 3-pointers in the first half. Virginia, which now has lost six of its last seven games and continues to fall deeper into the ACC cellar, got as close as 76-71 during a late-game rally that was sparked by senior guard Sean Singletary. Singletary, who has a hip pointer and was not cleared to play until 45 minutes before game time, scored 17 of his team-high 23 points in the second half and did not have a turnover for the first time in 75 games. Maryland scored on its last 11 possessions, including four trips when Virginia made a defensive stop, only to see the Terps grab an offensive rebound and either score or go to the free-throw line. The Cavaliers visit Virginia Tech on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tipoff. UVa-Ga. Tech finalPosted Jan27, 2008 at 08:40 PMUVa has now lost five of six games after dropping a 90-82 overtime affair Sunday against visiting Georgia Tech. In its last three losses, Virginia has squandered leads of nine, 10 and 13 points, including a 48-35 advantage late in the first half Sunday. The Cavaliers went nine-of-18 on 3-pointers in the first half, then went 2-of-14 in the second half. Two-time first-team All-ACC selection Sean Singletary missed all six of his 3-point shots and was 5-of-19 from the field. Singletary is 9-of-30 from the field in his last two games, including a 69-67 loss Wednesday at Florida State. After going 24-2 in its first 26 games at John Paul Jones Arena, Virginia has lost two of its last three games, both in overtime to a pair of Techs, including Virginia Tech (70-69). The Cavaliers (11-7, 1-4) dropped deep into the ACC cellar, of which they already had sole possession. Georgia Tech is 10-9, 3-3 after its second ACC road victory in five days. UVa-GT halftimePosted Jan27, 2008 at 05:28 PMThe loser in four of its last five games, Virginia has hit nine of 18 3-point attempts to take a 48-38 lead over Georgia Tech after the first half at John Paul Jones Arena. Sophomore guard Calvin Baker leads all scorers with 13 points in 13 minutes. Five different UVa players have made 3-pointers but Sean Singletary is 0-for-2 from beyond the arc. Freshman center Mike Scott has seven points and six rebounds for UVa in his best outing of late. UVa-Florida StatePosted Jan23, 2008 at 10:28 PMThe Virginia men's basketball team has now lost three games by either one or two points after dropping a 69-67 decision Wednesday night at Florida State. Virginia (11-6 overall, 1-3 ACC) led 60-53 before Florida State's Ryan Reid hit a pair of free throws with 5:28 left and ignited a 9-0 FSU run. Senior guard Toney Douglas had a team-high 19 points for the Seminoles (13-7, 2-3) and shut down two-time All-ACC guard Sean Singletary, who had 11 points for the Cavaliers. Singletary needed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to extend his double-figure scoring streak to 39 games and he had five turnovers, two coming in the final 2:40. Mamadi Diane had a season-high 21 points for the Cavaliers, who are now tied for last in the conference. "Sean wasn't Sean today," UVa coach Dave Leitao said. UVa-Boston CollegePosted Jan19, 2008 at 10:48 PMVirginia got a command performance from senior point guard Sean Singletary on Saturday night and avoided a four-game losing streak with an 84-66 victory over Boston College at John Paul Jones Arena. Singletary had 19 points and tied career highs with 10 assists and six steals. It was the fourth double-double of his college career and the second in succession. Junior Mamadi Diane had a season-high 20 points for UVa (11-5 overall, 1-2 ACC) and senior Adrian Joseph had 17 points, all in the second half. It was the first conference loss for the Eagles (12-5, 3-1). Boston College was hurt by its 11-for-24 performance at the free-throw line. The Eagles got 20 points from Richmond product Tyrese Rice, but Rice was only 6-for-16 from the field. UVa postgame notesPosted Jan16, 2008 at 10:25 PMVIRGINIA BASKETBALL Team Notes Player Career Highs Arena Records Hokies beat Virginia in OTPosted Jan16, 2008 at 09:18 PMDeron Washington's driving layup as time expired gave Virginia Tech a 70-69 overtime victory Wednesday night at John Paul Jones Arena and the Hokies' first triumph in Charlottesville in 40 years. The Hokies (11-6 overall, 2-0) rallied from a nine-point deficit in the last 9:47 minute of regulation and a five-point deficit in the overtime to spoil a 34-point night by Virginia senior Sean Singletary. It was the third straight loss for the Cavaliers (10-5, 0-2). It was only the third loss for the Cavaliers in 27 games at JPJ. "Part of it is not learning the proper lessons every day in practice and part of it is the fact that we don't play with enough swagger and confidence," UVa coach Dave Leitao said. "We rely on things that other teams can and do take away. So, when that happens, you get down to the final stages of games and you hope that things will happen as opposed to expecting things will happen." Until Washington's game-winning shot, the Hokies had not made a field goal since a 3-pointer by Washington with 4:12 remaining in regulation. "There's nothing special that we did," Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "It's one stop, one rebound, one roll of the ball. That's the difference between having a good ride home and questioning everything that you're doing." Junior A.D. Vassallo had 22 points to lead the Hokies, who had lost nine straight games in Charlottesville dating back to the 1969-70 season. Tech shot 35.7 percent from the floor but outrebounded the Cavaliers 47-39. UVa shot 38.1 percent. UVa-Duke quotesPosted Jan14, 2008 at 11:01 AMQuotes: Duke 87, Virginia 65 Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski On defending the Cavaliers, led by guard Sean Singletary: On what he thought of the play of Lance Thomas, who was questionable entering the game: On matching up with Virginia’s rebounding ability: On starting off ACC play with tonight’s performance:
On the first game of the ACC regular season: On defending Sean Singletary: “Rebounding was a key. We knew that they were a three-point-shooting team, especially in transition. So we knew that they were going to take a lot of threes, and our job was to rebound those long misses when they did occur and then push it. We knew that their defensive balance was going to bad when they were taking perimeter shots. That was our key emphasis – just to rebound and then run.”
On the start to his second ACC regular season:
“We were really active on defense. Guys were in the passing lanes, pressuring the ball, and really imposing our will on them. We didn’t shoot the ball crazy well tonight. We hit shots at times but our defense was really what pushed us throughout the game.” “This is the way we need to play. We’re not going to play every game like we did tonight, but we’re going to go out and try to. We’re going to make more shots – that’s going to happen – but our defense is something that can be constant.”
On the team needing more of Calvin Baker’s having success taking the ball to the basket when he was pressured outside: On calling a timeout only two possessions into the game and if he saw some of the same problems that his team had at the beginning of their game with Xavier: On the thought process starting Calvin Baker over Jeff Jones and whether that’s a permanent thing: Gator BowlPosted Jan01, 2008 at 01:08 PMTexas Tech's Alex Trlica lines up for a 41-yarder with 0:07 left. Cavs use their last timeout. Trlica is 12-for-20 It's good with two seconds left.Texas Tech wins 31-28. ***** Tech kicks the extra point. Sewell re-enters the game with 3:10 remaining. An incomplete, Sewell runs out of bounds and now the Cavs have to punt with 2:17 left.Gee, what horrible clock management. Now Weigand hooks the ball out of bounds for 23 yards. This is room service for Texas Tech. Red Raiders took over at their 47. *****
***** Texas Tech, down to its last gasp on several fourth downs, has tied the Gator Bowl at 28-28 After a Michael Crabtree touchdown reception with 3:31 left, Texas Tech causes a fumble by Virginia back-up QB Peter Lalich and recovers at the UVa 4 with 3:15 remaining. Aaron Crawford scores on first down to set Alex Trlica's game-tying extra point. They're now carting off a Texas Tech lineman, Rylan Reed, who was injured on the extra point. ****** Miichael Crabtree beats Rasi-I Dowling on a 20-yard touchdown reception with 3:31 remaining. Red Raiders cut the deficit to 28-21. Texas Tech has two timeouts remaining, as does Virginia. Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell has 67 attempts, a Gator Bowl record. He also has records for completions (43) and yardage (397). Of course, Texas Tech could get the ball back. The Red Raiders elect to kick away.Ball goes through the end zone for a touchback. ****** After three Rashawn Jackson runs, UVa kicks away with just under six minutes left. Ryan Weigand gets off a 50-yarder. ****** Huge call as Texas Tech corner Chris Parker stops receiver Staton Jobe for an apparent 1-yard loss on first-and-10 from the 14. Parker jumps up, pumps his fist and is flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Cavs looking at second-and-3 from the 7. Then, Virginia's John Phillips is called for a false start and it's such a big call. Oops, Lalich connects with Simpson on a screen and an 11-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-14 with 11:26 left. ****** It's Peter Lalich on in relief with 14:54 left. Jameel Sewell is being helped from the field after running for a first down. ******
Virginia running back Mikell Simpson, who has 202 all-purpose yards, has been helped to the bench following an injury with 7:31 left. Texas Tech, down 21-14, takes over at its 8 with 7:06 left. ****** For all the talk about Texas Tech's offense, it was special teams that got the Red Raiders back in the game. Texas Tech kicked off to start the second half but the Cavaliers never got the ball. Trey Womack failed to handle Cory Fowler's onsides kick and Lance Fuller recovered for the Red Raiders at their 41. A 13-play, 59-yard drive was capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Graham Harrell to Danny Amendola and Texas Tech cut the deficit to 21-14 with 10:01 lef in the third quarter. ****** The following first-half notes are furnished by Jim Davis and Michael Colley: Virginia Gator Bowl Notes 1st Half Notes UVa running back Mikell Simpon¹s 96-yard touchdown rush in the second Virginia¹s 98-yard scoring drive in the second quarter was its longest of UVa had two safeties in today¹s game, the first time in the modern history Virginia has three safeties this year, setting a single-season record. UVa tight end Jonathan Stupar caught his first TD pass in a bowl game today. Jamaal Jackson started for just the third time in his Cavalier career today, Nate Collins recorded his second sack of the season today. Rashawn Jackson¹s 12-yard rush was a career long. ****** But, remember, this is a Texas Tech team that rallied from a 38-7 halftime deficit to defeat Minnesota 44-41 in the Insight Bowl. ****** It's two safeties now for the Virginia defense, both on intentional grounding calls against Texas Tech's Graham Harrell in the end zone. This time Clint Sintim gets credit for the sack as the Cavs go up 18-7 with 2:32 lerft in the half. ****** Mikell Simpson goes 96 yards on second-and-8 from the UVa 4 with 7:32 left in the second quarter. It's the longest run in school history, eclipsing an 88-yarder by Bob Davis in 1964. Cavs lead Texas Tech 16-7. ****** Nate Collins rushes on the field at the last moment and sacks Graham Harrell on first down. Harrell is called for intentional grounding, resulting in a safety that puts UVa ahead 9-7 with 1:37 left in the first quarter. Quarter ends with UVa facing a third-and-10 from Texas Tech's 42. Wind seems to be affecting UVa quarterback Jameel Sewell and possibly the Red Raiders' Graham Hararell, too. ****** UVa fails to take advantage of a Texas Tech special teams snafu. Cavs take possession at the Texas Tech 43 after a minus-7 yard punt by Jonathan LaCour but Brandon Williams sacks Sewell for the second time. Red Raiders take over af their 15 with 1:44 left in the quarter and score tied 7-7. ****** A 2-yard jump pass from Jameel Sewell to Jonathan Stupar isn't a thing of beauty but it pulls Virginia into a 7-7 tie with Texas Tech after a 13-play, 67-yard drive. Sewell kept the drive alive with 13- and 7-yard runs on third downs. There's 4:48 left in the first quarter. ****** Texas Tech goes up 7-0 on an 11-yard pass from Graham Harrell to Detron Lewis with 9:35 remaining in the first quarter. Virginia is going with six defensive backs but it didn't prevent Harrell from going 7-for-8 on the drive. UVa's first offensive series, a three-and-out, gave the momentum to Texas Tech after a good first defensive series. ****** Texas Tech has won the toss and -- no surprise -- has chosen to receive here at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. The temperature is 63, with 17-mph winds, gusting to 23 mph. The ball has just blown off the tee. Stadium appears to be half-full, with UVa fans outnumber Texas Tech fans about 2-to-1. Three and out for Texas Tech on the first series. Key deflection by Chris Long on third down. Rashawn Jackson starts at UVa's lone running back. Mikell Simpson enters the game on the third play. Three and out for Cavaliers. Gator Bowl snippetsPosted Dec30, 2007 at 12:01 PMVirginia coach Al Groh won't be doing a teleconference Sunday but he briefly chatted with reporters on Saturday. Here are a few quotes: On the Cavalierrs' 3-1 bowl record during his tenure: "Part of playing well in these games is knowing how to travel and how to prepare." On Texas Tech's unheralded defense: "Scheme-wise, it bears similarity to teams like Connecticut and Pittsburgh, or N.C. State. All 4-3 teams." On the kind of game he expects: "I'd take 89-88 if that's what it took. I know it's not going to be 10-7." On Chris Long: "I guess he'll be in a lot of stadiums from now on." Virginia-ElonPosted Dec22, 2007 at 05:21 PMCavs go into the Christmas break at 9-2 after a 91-61 victory over Elon on Saturday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. Elon (5-7) was a 20-point underdog, for whatever that means, but UVa's previous two victories had been by relatively unimpressive margins against Longwood (76-57) and Hampton (79-65). Sean Singletary played one of his cleanest games of the season, finishing with 20 points, eight assists and five rebounds in 28 minutes. Singletary was 5-for-7 from the field, incdluding 3-for-4 on 3-pointers. Sophomore post man Jerome Meyinsse was 5-for-5 from the field and had a career-high 12 points in 21 minutes off the bench. Virginia beats HamptonPosted Dec19, 2007 at 10:14 PMThe Virginia men's basketball team shakes off some early doldrums to defeat Hampton 79-65 and raise its record to 8-2. Five scholarship players were injured and unable to play but coach Dave Leitao was enthused about the performance of young frontcourt players Mike Scott (15 points, six rebounds), Jerome Meyinsse (nine points and nine rebounds) and Jamil Tucker (eight points and six rebounds). Meyinsse, who had played 33 minutes all season, was on the floor for 22 minutes Wednesday night. UVa blogPosted Nov24, 2007 at 11:21 AMVirginia's last drive ends with 2:00 left. There will be no comeback this time. ***** ***** Glennon throws a Hail Mary that Josh Hyman catches for a 31-yard gain to the UVa 19 as Chris Cook falls down. Two observations: The UVa secondary has been really inept and Glennon is going to haunt the Cavaliers forever. Tech leads 33-21 after Jud Dunlevy's fifth field goal with 4:56 left. ***** Tyrod Taylor outruns Jermaine Dias to the flag for a 5-yard touchdown run that makes it 30-21 with 11:50 left. Tech gets in scoring territory on back-to-back 25-yard plays, with Vic Hall involved in the coverage on the first play and missing a tackle on the second. Hall later knocks away a pass in the end zone, but there's no question the Hokies are picking on him. One play into Virginia's next possession, Jameel Sewell is knocked out and replaced by freshman Peter Lalich, making his first appearance in three games. Mikell Simpson has now returned after turning an ankle on the previous drive. A facemask penalty on Jordy Lipsey negates a completion to Maurice Covington that would have given Virginia a first down at the Tech 43. Sewell is warming up behind the UVa bench. Time is running out on the 'Hoos. ***** Just when Tech beat reporters were starting to mock Virginia defensive end Chris Long, Long sacked Sean Glennon and caused a fumble that teammate Antonio Appleby recovered at the Tech 28. Jon Stupar makes a spectacular sliding catch to give Virginia a first-and-goal at the 2 and Jameel Sewell scores one play later to pull UVa to 23-21 with 2:51 left. Now, Long gets another sack and UVa takes over at its 26 with 1:02 left in the third quarter. ***** Now you know why Al Groh didn't nominate ACC-leading punter Ryan Weigand for the all-conference team. The Hokies take advantage of Weigand's slow delivery for a Davon Morgan block, resulting in a Tech recovery at the UVa 26 and a 29-yard Jud Dunlevy field goal to make it 23-14 with 7:51 remaining in the second quarter. Special teams have played a major role in 10 Tech points. Vic Hall already has been beaten twice this quarter. Tech has six receptions for 118 yards at Hall's expense. ***** Tech burns Vic Hall again, this time on a 56-yard pass from Sean Glennon to Eddie Royal. ***** Back-to-back 22-yard completions to Maurice Covington and Jon Stupar gives UVa a first down at the Tech 28. On second-and-9, Mikell Simpson bolts 27 yards for a touchdown to make it 10-7 with 2:37 left in the quarter. UVa's blocking is much improved. Stupar gets a great block on Vince Hall on the touchdown run. Now Dowling has a parka over his head. Concussion? ***** The Hokies continue to take advantage of Vic Hall on their second scoring drive, resulting in a 20-yard Jud Dunlevy field goal to make it 10-0 with 5:47 remaining in the first quarter. Promising freshman corner Ras-I Dowling is sitting on the bench with his head down and helmet off. Here comes the Cavalier offense for its third series. UVa has one first down. ***** We've been told that there will be a pregame observance to honor Long. Don't know what it is. ***** With just under 40 minutes remaining till game time, the temperature in Charlottesville is 37 degrees, with plenty of sunlight, so it should warm up. For the sartorially inclined, Virginia Tech is in white jerseys and pants, with maroon helmets. Virginia is waring blue jerseys and white pants, with blue helmets. UVa-Miami final reportPosted Nov10, 2007 at 11:30 PMVirginia has had more important wins and it has made more dramatic wins, but the Cavaliers haven't had many wins more impressive than their 48-0 triumph Saturday night in Miami's final home game at the Orange Bowl. At a site where the Hurricanes once won 58 consecutive games between 1985-1994 and had outscored their first six visitors 81-7 in the first half, Virginia dominated every facet of the game, forcing a season-high five fumbles and outgaining the Hurricanes 418-189. Virginia had gained as many as 400 in only other game (434 at Maryland) and had not held a team under 200 all season (the previous low was 229 against Duke). The Cavaliers had not forced more than three turnovers in a game all season and had not blocked a punt all season. "My team was very mindful of some of the great performances individually and team wise that have occurred in this stadium and we tried to set it as a standard of performance tonight," UVa coach Al Groh said. "A lot of teams have run out of this locker room here today and the environment and competition has raised the level of their play and it looks like it raised the level of our play a little bit tonight." Miami coach Randy Shannon said. "It was a tough one today ... big-time tough lkoss for us. I feel very bad and disappointed for the city of Miami, Dade County and the University of Miami. The fans were out tonight, the atmopshere was right but we just couldn't get anything started." Virginia now has a bye week and suffered no obvious injuries. Mikell Simpson limped off the field in the closing minutes but all he had was a cramp. Simpson had 147 all-purpose yards -- 22 carries for 93 yards and three receptions for 54 yards. UVa-Miami report #4Posted Nov10, 2007 at 08:21 PMCavs go up 24-0 with 10:02 remaining in the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Jameel Sewell. Summaries will say the key play was a 25-yard pass from Sewell to John Phillips, but it all stemmed from Ryan Hill not letting Chris Gould's kickoff to go out of bounds. Instead, Hill fielded the ball next to the boundary and then lost his balance and crossed the line. Three plays later, Kyle Wright pulled back from center and tripped at the 5.. UVa-Miami report #3Posted Nov10, 2007 at 08:02 PMThe first quarter ends with Virginia leading 14-0 after a 5-yard touchdown run by Keith Payne with 1:08 remaining in the period. Score was set up by Josh Zidenberg's punt block, giving possession to UVa at the Miami 4-yard line. Then, on Miami's second play of the second quarter, Kyle Wright is intercepted for the third time, this time by Byron Glaspy after intended receiver Darnell Jenkins fumbles the ball, it bounces off his knee and into Glaspy's hands. That's interceptions so far by Glaspy, Vic Hall and Jon Copper. Chris Gould's 33-yard field goal with 13:29 remaining in the second quarter puts the Cavaliers ahead 17-0. Miami's lucky it isn't 28-0.
UVa-Miami report #2Posted Nov10, 2007 at 07:51 PMVirginia intercepts Kyle Wright on back-to-back possessions in Miami territory but Cavs fail to take advantage, the first time when Jameel Sewell is intercepted after throwing into triple coverage. On the second possession, Virginia gets lucky when Sewell fumbles but Miami's return for a touchdown is nullified by penalty.Then Sewell gets sacked on third down, taking the Cavs out of field-goal range. |