Aiming to avenge a one-sided Jan. 23 defeat in Winston-Salem, the Virginia men's basketball team plays host to Wake Forest tomorrow at the John Paul Jones Arena.
The Demon Deacons (15-5, 5-3 ACC) handed the Cavaliers (14-6, 5-2 ACC) their first ACC loss of the season with the 69-57 result, and ended an eight-game Virginia win streak.
Sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg outscored the rest of Virginia's starting five in the contest, contributing 18 of the starters' 32 points. The team never led in the game and at one point in the second half, trailed by as much as 24 points.
"They took it to us down there," Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. "They're a load inside with quickness on the outside. They're a heck of a team. We'll just have to do a lot better job in almost every area. We were awfully cold against them, [and] they defended us well. We'll go to work and hopefully come with a better performance."
One Cavalier who will get his first chance against the Deacons this time around is senior guard Calvin Baker. Baker, who did not make the trip to Winsten-Salem in January, has seen increased playing time during Virginia's last two wins. Against North Carolina, Baker played 18 minutes and scored three points. Then, Wednesday against N.C, State, he was on the court for 23 minutes and posted five points.
"I feel like everything is clicking," Baker said. "I mean, there are ups and downs in the season all the time anyway. I was just going through a tough stretch - but that's what time away will do for you. I talked to the coaches, and now everything is going really well."
A win Saturday would give the Cavaliers their sixth conference victory, two more than they earned throughout the entire 2008-2009 season under former head coach Dave Leitao when the squad went 4-12 in the ACC.
"It's a good place to be in, but by no means does that mean we've arrived," Bennett said. "I just want them to keep improving"
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