No. 10 Virginia (12-2, 3-2 ACC) returns to the road tonight to face ACC foe Georgia Tech (7-11, 0-5). Virginia hopes to build off back-to-back home wins over conference rivals No. 14 Wake Forest and Florida State. A raucous University Hall crowd buoyed the Cavaliers in each of those wins - ardent fans staked the season's first claim to Hooville, camping out prior to both contests. This time, though, the Cavaliers must go into battle without that same level of vocal support.
Georgia Tech has struggled recently but is still capable of knocking off a contender. The Yellow Jackets upset No. 12 Syracuse 96-80 at home Dec. 16. Things have changed of late for the Yellow Jackets in ACC action. Defensive woes have plagued Georgia Tech and the team is allowing a ACC-worst 89.2 points per game. That statistic is, however, bloated by recent lopsided losses to No. 1 Duke and No. 3 Maryland.
Virginia will be the third top 10 team Georgia Tech has faced in its last four games, but the Yellow Jackets are not daunted by anyone who comes to play in the Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The Cavaliers cannot overlook anyone either, especially in the ACC, already having lost this season to N.C. State and Clemson.
"Every game is tough and especially on the road," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. "We are going to have to play very well to beat them down there. There's no doubt they will be very tough."
Virginia is well aware that Georgia Tech swept last season's three-game series.
"They beat us three times last season," Roger Mason Jr. said. "We haven't forgotten that. They are a competitive team, and they are going to be hungry for a win."
Virginia is not, however, focusing on retribution and is more concerned with this year's Georgia Tech squad.
"It's not going to be revenge, but we remember what they did to us last season," Mason said. "They are a very good team."
The Yellow Jackets' strength is the outside shooting of their backcourt, led by guards Tony Akins and Marvin Lewis. Georgia Tech ranks first in the ACC in three-point shooting with a sparkling 37.7 percent. Akins is the Yellow Jackets' main offensive threat and is ranked eighth in the conference in scoring (16.6 points per game), fifth in assists (5.6), and first in three point percentage (43.6 percent).
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In Sunday's 91-74 win over Florida State, Virginia proved that it also could shoot from the perimeter. With interior scoring threats Travis Watson and Elton Brown held in check for most of the first half, the Cavaliers sought a new method of attack. The team regained its shooting touch after Brown's perfect three-point shooting (3-for-3) incited the raucous crowd and rallied the team for a 28-14 run to end the first half. Mason also added three hoops from beyond the arc to spark the team and set Virginia on its way toward victory.
Adam Hall's foot injury has kept him out of the last two games and he is listed as questionable for tonight's contest. In his absence, senior Chris Williams has stepped up to replace Hall's production on offense. His 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting led the team against the Seminoles. Virginia will need similar production from Williams to beat Georgia Tech tonight.
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