Maryland Vs. #17 Virginia Preview And Live Stream: How Low Can The Cavaliers Make MD Go?
By#17 Virginia is the answer to the trivia question: which team is in sole possession of second place in the ACC with a 10-1 record? But they're almost never the answer to the general question, how do I score a basket? Behind their second ranked scoring defense (55.6 points per game) the Cavaliers (19-5, 10-1) are simply swallowing opponents this season. They've allowed over 80 points just once (an inexplicable 35 point loss to Tennessee). Two games ago, they slipped a little against Boston College (yielding 67 points in a 10 point win), but last game they were back to their 40-50 point ways in limiting Georgia Tech (12-12, 3-8) to 45 points in a 64-45 victory.
"That's what we try to do," Malcolm Brogdon, the team's leading scorer at 12.1 ppg, told ESPN of the team's defense. "We try to be patient on offense and use 30 to 35 seconds, and ... we try to wear them down on defense. That's exactly the way we want to play. We think we have great depth and we're able to get after guys defensively."
Tonight (9:00 pm EST, ESPNU) The Cavaliers will be facing an above average Maryland team (14-10, 6-5) that's been pretty steady most of the year and typically competes in every game (with 20 and 25 point losses to Pittsburg and Florida State, respectively, the only exceptions). Last game, they were able to avenge the FSU loss for a 12 point win.
Neither team has a big scoring source, most emphatically the Cavaliers, who don't have a player averaging better than Brogdon's 12.1. (and only two players in double figures). Maryland's top man is Dez Wells, a guard-forward hybrid posting 15 ppg on 49 percent shooting.
Given the Cavaliers' recent roll, I'm not going to pick against its progress. I think they cover the 11 points.
For live stream, try watchespn.
Record: 12-16
Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)
UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)
Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)
Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)
Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)
Indiana @ Michigan State: L (picked Michigan State, -12)
Iowa @ Michigan: L (picked Iowa, + 1.5)
Colorado @ Arizona: W (picked Colorado, + 14.5)
Illinois @ Ohio State: W (picked Illinois, + 11)
Michigan @ Michigan State: W (picked Michigan, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Marquette: W (picked Villanova, -3)
Utah @ Arizona: W (picked Utah, + 15)
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State: W (picked Oklahoma, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Georgetown: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Michigan State @ Iowa: W (picked Michigan State, + 5)
St. John's @ Creighton: W (picked St. John's, + 12)
Iowa State @ Kansas: L (picked Iowa State, + 8.5)
Syracuse @ Wake Forest: L (picked Syracuse, -10)
Purdue @ Michigan: L (picked Michigan, -12)
Florida @ Mississippi State: W (picked Miss. State, + 15)
Duke @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -3)
Xavier @ Villanova: L (picked Xavier, + 10)
Nebraska @ Michigan: L (picked Nebraska, + 13)
Boston College @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -13)
Oregon @ Arizona: L (picked Arizona, -11)
Oklahamo State @ Texas Tech: W (picked Texas Tech, + 6.5)
West Virginia @ Kansas: L (picked WVU, + 14)