College Basketball Virginia Cavaliers vs UNC Wilmington Seahawks Start Time, Betting Odds

“They’re the No. 1 defense in the country”.

This is Virginia’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance under two-time ACC Coach of the Year Tony Bennett.

Virginia went all the way to the Elite Eight last season before finally losing to Syracuse, but that year they were No. 1 seeds. They made it back-to-back invites to the Big Dance earlier this month by winning the CAA championship.

As a youngster growing up and playing basketball in Lynchburg, it was hard for Kevin Keatts not to pay attention to the ACC program 60 miles to the north.

Although the extra rest was beneficial to Wilkins, there’s still no definitive answer on how much of the team’s emotional leader Virginia fans can expect to see today in the first round.

UNC Wilmington’s three leading scorers – C.J. Bryce, Chris Flemmings and Denzel Ingram – are all North Carolina natives averaging at least 14.5 points per game. The Seahawks can score a ton of points (85.2) and rank 18th nationally in offensive efficiency numbers. Virginia has allowed just 55.6 points per game.

“We’ve talked a lot about transition defense since Sunday night”, freshman guard Kyle Guy said. When the Seahawks need a play, need some energy, or look out of sync, he’s the one who brings them back.

“We knew there were going to be dips this season”, Perrantes said.

“We have to play defense if we’re going to play with this team”, he said. They’re also capable of scoring baskets, too, so we have to do a great job on both ends.

Bennett echoed Keatts’ sentiments on the balance in teams during March Madness.

“We’re excited to play whoever we can play”, Keatts said Monday from his office.

Virginia, which enters the tournament with a 22-10 record, will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season. The seeding stuff is really not as relevant.

UNC Wilmington thrives off an up-tempo pace and wants 94 feet of pressure as often as possible.

“It’s a lot different from past year, after it being a decade and going back to the tournament”, said UNCW sophomore forward Devontae Cacok. Giving up nearly 75 points a game (good for 241st in the country), UNCW has given up that number or more in 17 of their 34 games this season. In the Cavaliers’ last three first-round tournament matchups, they won by 11-12-36 points. He also leads the nation in field-goal percentage at 79.9 percent. He went through a terrible slump towards the end of the year so he needs to have confidence, especially against this Seahawks defense.

DOMINANT DEFENSE: The Cavaliers’ efense can give opponents fits.

“I thought I was going to be at Hargrave the rest of my life”, Keatts said. “So, we have guys like Isaiah, Jack, and Jarred who have guys on their back and they have good post position”.

During the 2016 calendar year, the Seahawk Club eclipsed 2,000 members, resulting in record contributions for student-athlete scholarships, according to a recent release from UNCW. “I’ve been resting since we got back from NY”.