NCAAB Game Preview - Towson at Virginia
Tue Nov 6, 2018 7:00 PM EST

MSU
87
Kansas
92
F
Duke
118
KY
84
F
IdaSt
79
Gonz
120
F
Tows
42
UVA
73
F
(N/A)
41
Tenn
86
F
BYU
70
Nev
86
F
UNC
78
Woff
67
F
Morg
77
Vill
100
F
USA
58
Aub
101
F
PorSt
57
Oreg
84
F
E WA
34
Syr
66
F
Fla
60
FSU
81
F
Norf
44
Mich
63
F
IPFW
71
UCLA
96
F
Citad
80
Clem
100
F
SeLA
63
LSU
94
F
Fairf
57
Purd
90
F
W Ky
55
Wash
73
F
(N/A)
54
WIGB
110
F
StFPA
67
Buff
82
F
RocMI
67
E MI
77
F
KTChr
82
MorSt
102
F
Rider
70
UCF
84
F
LoyMD
55
StJon
76
F
Merrim
49
Seton
89
F
Sien
67
Prov
77
F
ChiSt
55
Ind
104
F
(N/A)
58
Ford
106
F
Brev
51
SCSt
99
F
AlaAM
63
SoFL
80
F
(N/A)
58
JMU
86
F
Maris
69
Army
73
F
Colg
78
NJIT
81
F(OT)
(N/A)
58
Hamp
110
F
Detr
76
W MI
89
F
(N/A)
56
VMI
89
F
YSU
53
Pitt
69
F
IL-C
67
ND
84
F
FlaAM
65
JU
50
F
(N/A)
66
Harv
78
F
Stony
77
GrgWas
74
F(OT)
(N/A)
48
Furm
102
F
Clev
63
David
83
F
(N/A)
39
Dart
114
F
Presb
73
Charl
85
F
WIMil
53
BC
73
F
IndSt
69
Ball
86
F
(N/A)
54
AbCh
107
F
(N/A)
62
App
125
F
JWCO
65
AF
90
F
FlGlf
66
IlSt
74
F
(N/A)
38
NoKY
102
F
(N/A)
56
Longw
84
F
GWebb
57
VCU
69
F
USC-Up
52
SouthCar
65
F
Bry
63
URI
97
F
(N/A)
57
Radf
91
F
Navy
44
ODU
67
F
MtStM
55
NCSU
105
F
(N/A)
54
UNH
108
F
Chat
80
UNCC
69
F
(N/A)
76
LIU
109
F
CenCT
75
Hartfo
68
F
ETSU
68
GASt
74
F
Penn
72
GMas
71
F
(N/A)
67
CenMI
98
F
(N/A)
52
BGSU
91
F
(N/A)
50
Akr
70
F
SacHr
81
HolyC
93
F
(N/A)
47
CoCar
91
F
TxWes
71
SFA
83
F
LaSal
67
Temp
75
F
ETXB
64
SHSU
85
F
UNCG
74
NCAT
66
F
UMassL
75
UMass
83
F
Del
67
MD
73
F
UNCW
93
Campbl
97
F(OT)
InWor
37
TxTch
87
F
N AL
74
Samf
91
F
(N/A)
69
MTSU
91
F
(N/A)
54
NIU
93
F
(N/A)
60
Troy
95
F
ORU
50
MOSt
84
F
(N/A)
55
N TX
89
F
(N/A)
48
UND
104
F
(N/A)
51
NrthIA
97
F
(N/A)
58
Nich
86
F
ULM
75
JackSt
66
F
CS-Ful
94
AzSt
102
F(2OT)
LaTec
71
WichSt
58
F
(N/A)
84
UTRGV
91
F
Alc
56
Tuls
73
F
TNTec
61
Mem
76
F
(N/A)
43
LoyMa
75
F
HuTil
59
Lamar
79
F
Boston
77
NE
74
F
GrCan
74
SDSt
79
F
Corn
86
Bingha
75
F
Copp
63
Wisc
85
F
(N/A)
65
Valpa
121
F
TXTyl
66
TexAr
90
F
StLeo
64
Rice
80
F
MsVl
37
Nebras
106
F
NebOm
76
Minn
104
F
OakCi
53
APSU
114
F
Pacif
74
SIU-E
65
F
E IL
59
Tex
71
F
SEMO
65
StLou
75
F
(N/A)
66
USM
111
F
CenAR
55
Mizzu
68
F
ASU
53
IaSt
79
F
Mercer
67
UAB
75
F
South
62
Bama
82
F
(N/A)
53
Lipsco
97
F
(N/A)
80
UL
121
F
(N/A)
68
ChaSo
100
F
DelSt
56
ECU
81
F
IUPUI
69
Xav
82
F
Elon
62
Manh
56
F
MD-ES
53
GTown
68
F
W IL
67
Crei
78
F
(N/A)
63
S UT
109
F
Leh
85
Monm
61
F
(N/A)
71
UtVal
96
F
Cnten
62
NWSt
102
F
UCRiv
59
OrSt
72
F
(N/A)
63
UTEP
90
F
UtSt
101
MTSt
71
F
UMBC
42
Marq
67
F
Maine
50
Denv
63
F
UMKC
45
LoyIL
76
F
SprH
66
NOrl
95
F
CmbTN
58
TN-M
91
F
NDSU
56
NMSt
73
F
Winth
79
Vand
92
F
TXSo
72
Baylor
69
F
Seatt
74
Stan
96
F
AKAnc
63
Fres
91
F
UCSB
76
Wyo
66
F
ArkPB
60
SDSU
76
F
(N/A)
103
Portl
111
F
NM
87
CSNor
84
F
USF
76
UCDav
42
F
Web
66
USD
83
F
Ida
68
UCIrv
86
F
RobM
62
USC
83
F
Motivated No. 5 Virginia opens vs. Towson
Mon Nov 5, 2018 11:18 PM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. -- Eight months removed from becoming the first No. 1 seed to ever lose to a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament, fifth-ranked Virginia is back and hungrier than ever.

The Cavaliers open their 2018-19 campaign at home Tuesday night against Towson.

"We've learned to just put the blinders on and be focused for the season," Virginia guard Kyle Guy said. "Mental toughness is going to be big for this team, especially for the returners. It's going to be in our face the whole season."

Despite the early exit from the NCAA Tournament last season, Virginia's resume was quite impressive and included 31 wins, a No. 1 ranking and an ACC Tournament title. A lot of high expectations surround the Cavaliers again this season as they return three of the best players in the conference.

"The way last season ended is a huge motivation factor," Guy said. "Honestly, it will probably propel us to a place we've never been before just because that is our mindset this season."

Guy and Ty Jerome highlight Virginia's backcourt with the two combining to average just under 25 points per game last season. Guy and Jerome are two of the better shooters in the ACC and are now the leaders of a Virginia team picked to finish second in the conference.

"The biggest difference for me, is the game has slowed down so much," Jerome said. "I'm better in all of the areas that I really wanted to improve in."

Joining Guy and Jerome is redshirt sophomore De'Andre Hunter who missed the Cavaliers loss to UMBC with a wrist injury that nagged him throughout the postseason. Hunter averaged nine points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game in his debut season as a Cavalier and is touted as an elite NBA prospect.

The Cavaliers will need to replace three seniors in Devon Hall, Isaiah Wilkins and Nigel Johnson, all of whom made a significant impact on last year's team. Alabama transfer Braxton Key will be one of those pieces that looks to do so as he will be expected to make an immediate impact on coach Tony Bennett's group. Virginia's lone senior is 6-foot-10 center Jack Salt who will be joined by sophomore Jay Huff and junior Mamadi Diakite in the Cavaliers? frontcourt.

Virginia will debut their 2018-19 version of arguably the best defense in the country as they led all 353 teams in points per game allowed last season (54.0).

Towson loses its top six scorers from a squad that won 18 games for the fifth time in six seasons a year ago. Seniors Jordan McNeil and Alex Thomas will anchor the Tigers as McNeil is Towson's leading returning scorer after averaging 4.7 points per game last season.

"We have some size, strength and length in our front court," Towson head coach Pat Skerry said. "Alex (Thomas) had a great summer and has taken some steps forward. He's been our best post defender over the last three years. He looks great."

Skerry is entering his eighth season as Towson's head coach and has turned around a program that had 15-straight losing season before he arrived. A tough first test of the season for his Tiger program as they will face a Virginia team that has won at least 29 games in four of the last five seasons.

Virginia is 5-0 all-time against Towson.

Team Record Comparison

Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Towson  
Virginia  

Hot Players (Last 10 team games)

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