FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT VIRGINIA
COLUMBIA, S. C. — Oklahoma will face No. 1 seed Virginia in the second round of the South Regional on Sunday.
Here are five things to know about the Cavaliers:
History lesson
Virginia has made two Final Fours in its history, 1981 and 1984. The former team was led by 7-foot-4 All-American
Ralph Sampson, one of the iconic players in college basketball history. The overachieving 1984 team was the season after Sampson went to the NBA.
Sampson watched the game Friday from the front row of Colonial Life Arena.
The Cavaliers have 31 NCAA Tournament victories in their history. OU has 42.
Remember the Red Raiders
Virginia is Texas Tech with a better offense.
The Cavaliers rank fourth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Texas Tech is No. 1.
But where Texas Tech ranks 39th in adjusted offensive efficiency, Virginia occupies the No. 2 spot. Virginia is the only team in the country that ranks in the top-5 of both categories.
KenPom gives Virginia an 84 percent chance to win the game.
Facing the best
OU is 2-3 all-time against No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.
The Sooners beat Arizona 86-78 in the 1988 NCAA semifinals as a top seed itself and beat Oregon 80-68 in the 2016 West Regional finals as a No 2 seed.
The Sooners lost to Indiana State 93-72 in the 1979 Midwest Regional semifinals as a No. 5 seed, lost to Michigan State 54-46 in the 1999 Midwest Regional semifinals as a No. 13 seed and lost to North Carolina 72- 60 in the 2009 South Regional finals as a No. 2 seed.
OU is 1-2 against Virginia. The two schools last met on Nov. 23, 2010 in Hawaii. Virginia won 74-56.
2018 nightmare
Virginia made the wrong kind of history last season when it became the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed. The Cavaliers were clobbered by Maryland-Baltimore County 74-54.
The Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs tried to match the feat of their Terrier friends on Friday. Gardner-Webb held a 36- 30 halftime lead, but Virginia cruised in the second half.
“That will always be part of our story,” Virginia coach
said. “I understand that. I'm sure a lot of people thought it was going to be part of our story the second year in a row.”
3-point threat
Virginia is known for defense. But this Cavalier team deserves accolades for its shooting.
UVA is shooting 40.5 percent from 3-point range this season. The Cavaliers made just seven of 23 3-pointers in a 71-56 victory over GardnerWebb on Friday.
But the Cavs' three leading scorers all are quality marksmen – Kyle Guy (15.6 points, 46.3 percent from deep),
De'Andre Hunter (15.1, 45.7) and Ty Jerome (13.0, 39.7).