Miami basketball hosts UVA in penultimate regular season game
The Miami basketball returns home on Wednesday night following their last three games on the road to host number 22 Virginia in the first of the final two games at the Watsco Center to end the regular season.
A lot is on the line for the Virginia and Miami basketball teams on Wednesday night at the Watsco Center. The Cavaliers have already clinched a double-bye in the ACC Tournament but are a game behind Florida State for second and a half-game behind Duke, who they recently defeated, for third. The Hurricanes are in a battle for a bye.
Miami is currently in a three-way tie with Wake Forest and Virginia Tech for 10th place in the ACC. The bottom four teams have to play in the first round on Tuesday. Georgia Tech is on probation and ineligible for the ACC Tournament or the Hurricanes would have more to do. Miami still likely needs a win or two to close the season.
The Hurricanes enter the game Wednesday tied with the Demon Deacons and Hokies at 6-12 one game behind Boston College for ninth. The Eagles are 13-16 overall, 7-11 in the ACC. Miami also holds the tiebreaker with Boston College. Virginia travels to Coral Gables as one of the ACC’s hottest teams.
The Cavaliers have won six in a row to improve to 21-7 overall, 13-5 in the ACC to vault up the standings. Virginia will be the biggest test for the Miami basketball team since they lost to number seven Florida State last month in Tallahassee. The surge by Virginia has elevated the Hokies to 22nd nationally.
"GAME 29 | MARCH 4, 2020 • 9 P.M. ET • CORAL GABLES, FLA.#22 Virginia Cavaliers (21-7, 13-5 ACC)Head Coach: Tony Bennett (Green Bay, 1992)Record at UVA: 275-96 (11th season), Career Record: 344-129 (14th season)Miami Hurricanes (14-14, 6-12 ACC)Head Coach: Jim Larrañaga (Providence, 1971)Record at UM: 189-111 (ninth season), Career Record: 659-445 (36th season)Information courtesy HurricaneSports.Com"
Freshman combo guard
has been the story for Miami basketball over the
With Wong and classmate
, the Hurricanes backcourt should be set for the next few seasons. Wong is averaging 15.8 points per game and 4.3 rebounds reaching double figures in each of the last 10 games.
The play by Wong has been incredibly efficient. Wong is shooting 51.5 percent from the floor, making 44.4 percent of his three-point attempts and shooting 91.7 percent from the free-throw line in the last 10 Miami basketball games. Wong’s play was a big reason Miami won three-straight before dropping their last two games.
"SERIES HISTORYAll-Time: 12-11 (10-11 since rebirth) | Home: 7-2 | Away: 4-7 | Neutral: 1-2 | Coach L: 3-8 (3-7 at Miami)Streak: Lost 2 | Last Meeting: 56-46 road loss (Feb. 2, 2019) | First Meeting: 80-75 home win (Feb. 10, 1966)BROADCAST INFORMATIONACC Network • Play-by-Play: Steve Schlanger • Color: Dan Bonner | WatchESPNWQAM 560 AM • Joe Zagacki • Danny Rabinowitz | WQAM.Radio.comWMYM 990 AM • Broderick Zerpa • Jose Martinez • Lorenzo Berry • Daniel Ramirez | Spanish Radio| WVUM 90.5 FM • Philip Capuzzi • Cal Friedman | WVUM.org"
Tony Bennett has owned the Virginia-Miami basketball rivalry with Jim Larranaga who was once a Cavaliers assistant coach under Terry Holland in the 1980s. The Cavaliers are 7-3 when Bennett and Larranaga match up. That includes wins for Virginia in six of the last eight meetings. Miami won seven out of nine vs. UVA from 2007-13.
Miami loses chance to move up ACC Standings in loss to GaTech. dark. Next
The Miami basketball team will finish the regular season by hosting Syracuse on Saturday. The Orange are 16-13 overall, 9-9 in the ACC. The game could be critical for the Hurricanes to avoid playing in the opening round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday night. The ACC tournament opens Tuesday in Greensboro, N.C.