Tale of the Tape: Navy at No. 16 Virginia

Posted on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, 1:44 pm

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Photo by Jon Golden

Virginia closes out the year — and a very memorable decade — with its final non-conference game of the season this afternoon against Navy (4 p.m., ESPN2) at John Paul Jones Arena. The 16th-ranked Cavaliers (9-2) look to bounce back from a rare home loss a week ago against South Carolina.

The Gamecocks snapped a 22-game UVA win streak against non-ACC foes at JPJ with a 70-59 upset. The 70 points scored were the most given up by the Wahoos all season.

UVA also coughed up a season-high 19 turnovers in the loss, and will try to cut down on that number today against a 6-4 Midshipmen team out of the Patriot League.

Virginia has slipped to No. 22 in the country (1st AdjD, 180th AdjO) in the latest KenPom ratings, while Navy is currently No. 257 overall (180th AdjD, 292nd AdjO).

Navy leads the all-time series, 31-14, as the Middies claimed the first 14 meetings until Virginia finally prevailed with a win in 1935.

The ‘Hoos have won seven in a row against Navy, however, including a 25-point win at JPJ in 2013, the last time the two schools squared off on the hardwood.

Navy is led by a solid backcourt duo in junior Cam Davis and sophomore John Carter Jr. Both guards are averaging right around 14 points a game to lead the team, and Virginia will want to slow the pair down offensively and make their other teammates handle the rock.

The ‘Hoos will have almost a week to prepare for Saturday’s in-state ACC matchup against Virginia Tech, as conference play resumes.