Read more for our full Virginia vs Stanford prediction and preview.
Virginia basketball plays its second ACC game on the Pacific Coast in a matchup against Stanford. Both teams last played Wednesday; the Cardinal beat Virginia Tech, while the Cavaliers fell to Cal.
General Information:
Teams: Virginia (8-7, 1-3 ACC) and Cal (10-5, 2-2 ACC)
Tip time: 4 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPNU
Listen: Virginia Sports Radio Network
Latest on Stanford basketball:
Stanford plays host to Virginia coming off a 70-59 victory over Virginia Tech, but having lost the three games prior to that. The Cardinal trailed the Hokies by five at halftime but outscored them by 16 in the second half. Stanford held Virginia Tech scoreless for over three minutes in the second half to put the game out of reach.
Senior forward Maxime Raynaud is the main focus of the Cardinal team. The French big man leads the ACC in scoring at 20.7 per game and is third in the country with 11.6 rebounds per game. Much like most of the modern European big men, the 7-foot-1-inch Raynaud can step out and knock down three-pointers.
Senior guard Jaylen Blakes is another crucial part of this Stanford squad. The Duke transfer is averaging nearly 15 points per game and ranks fourth in the conference with two steals per game.
Kyle Smith is in his first season as Stanford’s head coach. He previously was the head coach at Columbia (2010-16), San Francisco (2016-19) and Washington State (2019-24), entering this year with a 258-193 (57%) career record. Last season, he lead the Cougars to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since some dude named Tony Bennett did it in 2007-08.
Latest on Virginia basketball:
The Cavaliers are coming off a 75-61 loss to Cal on Wednesday. Virginia trailed by three at half, but the Golden Bears opened the second half on an 18-5 run to blow the game open. Subpar second halves have been a recurring theme for the Cavs this season; Virginia has let games slip away in the final 20 minutes multiple times. The Cavs had chances to win against SMU, Memphis and Louisville, but lost all of them due to poor second halves.
It was an ugly game all around. The Cavaliers shot badly from the floor and from behind the three-point line and were dominated in the paint. Cal’s aggressiveness in the paint forced Virginia to commit 23 fouls, resulting in the Golden Bears going 27-33 (82%) from the free throw line. For a program that became known for its ability to defend without fouling, it was a very out-of-character game on that end.
Junior guard Isaac McKneely had one of the worst games of his career. He shot 1-8 from the floor, with his only basket being a three-pointer early in the game. It’s been a step back this year for the sharpshooter, who was expected to be the key to UVA’s offense. McKneely’s taking fewer shots than he did last season, and his points have dipped slightly. However, his free throw percentage has dropped dramatically, going from 85% last year to 68% this season. If UVA wants to compete in the ACC, McKneely needs to step it up, pronto.
Stanford, particularly Raynaud, doesn’t match up well for Virginia. Sophomore forward Blake Buchanan doesn’t have the defensive ability to combat his shooting, and freshman forward Jacob Cofie doesn’t have the size. Plus, with Blakes patrolling the perimeter, McKneely might not have the space to get off easy shots. It’ll be a tough game for the Cavaliers, who will lose three straight for the first time in almost four years.