Duke Basketball: No. 4 Virginia looking to make a national statement

It’s not often when the undefeated No. 4 team in the country gets to make a national statement, but the Virginia Cavaliers have the chance on Saturday against the Duke Basketball team.

The Virginia Cavaliers are 16-0 and the No. 4 team in the country, and the Cavs have a point to prove on Saturday night in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

After a humiliating loss to UMBC in the NCAA Tournament last season, as the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed and the Cavaliers being the No. 1 overall seed last year, Virginia has not received the proper praise it deserves so far this season.

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Virginia didn’t face a true challenge this season until playing the then No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers and then at No. 24 Maryland Terrapins. Both teams were defeated handily by Virginia and then the Cavs didn’t have another test until traveling down to South Carolina to face the Gamecocks and taking care of business once again.

It’s been utter domination by Virginia in ACC play and it all started with a demolition of then No. 9 Florida State. The Cavaliers beat the Seminoles 65-52, but it wasn’t even that close.

Virginia then went on the road for two victories over Boston College and Clemson, both victories coming by 20 points or more.

Finally, the instate rivalry between Virginia and No. 9 Virginia Tech wasn’t much of a rivalry as Virginia dominated the whole way, winning 81-59.

The Cavaliers have a balanced attack led by Kyle Guy and De’Andre Hunter.

Guy is the leading scorer of this Virginia team and has averaged 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, while Hunter averages 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.

Both players are outstanding shooters as Kyle Guy shoots 47.2% from the floor and 46.7% from 3-point range and De’Andre Hunter shoots and sizzling 52.3% from the field and 44.4% from 3-point range.

Ty Jerome is another junior guard that the Blue Devils must look out for as he averages 13.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and is the leading assists man on this Virginia team with 4.9 assists per game, while also shooting 42.7% from the field and 41.2% from 3-point range.

Braxton Key is the leading rebounder on Virginia with 5.6 rebounds per game to go along with 7.4 points, 1.3 steals and a 50.6% field goal percentage.

The Blue Devils also have to be aware of many key role players on this Virginia team with Mamadi Diakite, Kihei Clark, and Jack Salt.

Diakite only averages 6.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, but like so many others on this Virginia team, he is an excellent shooter with a 58.0% field goal percentage and shooting 42.9% from 3-point range.

Clark has received some extended minites in the last two games and has been recently drilling his shots from 3-point range, making four of his last seven.

Salt is the big man for this Cavaliers team and the senior is not much of a scoring threat, but averages 4.4 points and 4.7 rebounds on the season.

Despite the excellent offense and shooting number this Virginia team can put up at any time, it is the defense of the Cavaliers that has been outstanding, allowing opponents to only score 51.7 points per game and shooting 37.0% from the field and 25.1% from 3-point range.

The No. 1 Duke Blue Devils and No. 4 Virginia Cavaliers will tip off at 6:00 pm ET on ESPN from Cameron Indoor Stadium and ESPN’s College GameDay will be live from Cameron Indoor Stadium at 11:00 am ET.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham on Twitter, @Ball_Durham, and here at our website, balldurham.com, for complete coverage of the Duke Blue Devils vs. the Virginia Cavaliers.

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