Competition is running high in the ACC as any team not ranked is still capable of upsetting opponents at any given time. North Carolina learned that the hard way as unranked Pittsburgh came in and defeated the Tar Heels on Saturday. Virginia is hoping to avoid the same fate as they sit at No. 2 in the rankings and hoping to remain that way as the Panthers come into town.
The Cavaliers continue to dominate in conference play with their stifling defense that is allowing the fewest point sper game with 50.9 from opponents. They are also limiting teams to a 35.7 field goal percentage which ranks them third in the nation. After a rare test from Wake Forest, Virginia is looking to step things back up as they face a big test with the Panthers coming into town riding high on a big win.
Virginia survived a scare from Wake Forest, escaping with a 61-60 win. Malcolm Brogdon came through in the final seconds with a steal to get the win. The team has won four straight since losing to Duke back at the end of January while their three previous victories came by at least 10 points or more. Their history with Pittsburgh is positive. They got a pair of wins against the team last year, one coming off a Brogdon buzzer-beater.
Pittsburgh has momentum and confidence which could be dangerous for Virginia. The Panthers defeated North Carolina on Saturday in a blowout 89-76 win. They have won their last four of five games while shooting 58.5 percent against the Tar Heels. They finished shooting 64.9 percent from the field while notching 30 assists, their best of the season. Sheldon Jeter got 22 points in a career-high night while Cameron Wright finished with 15 points and 10 assists. The Panthers do not plan on celebrating long knowing that Virginia on the road is a tough matchup. With Justin Anderson expected to still be out for the Cavaliers, the Panthers could be primed to upset the top team.
