Written by Rohit Ghosh
Follow @rohitghosh on Twitter
Miami at No. 14 Virginia
On a night when University of Virginia will retire Malcolm Brogdon's No. 15 jersey in a pre-game ceremony, the Cavaliers host Miami at John Paul Jones Arena.
No. 14 UVA enters the matchup having lost three straight games in a season for the first time since January 2011. They'll look to avoid their first four-game losing streak since the 2009-2010 season.
Virginia opened as heavy 10-point favorites.
click on image above to see a free match forecast
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What to Watch For:
Big Night for UVA Fans: Emotions are always part of the game and it's an epic night for Virginia with Malcolm Brogdon's jersey being retired. Expect the crowd to be a little louder than normal.
Owning the school record for most wins played in, Brogdon helped Virginia to four NCAA tourneys, along with two ACC regular-season titles and one ACC Tournament championship. Brogdon now plays for the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 9.4 points and 4.2 assists per game.
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Consistency @ Home:
UVA hoops has had a certain level of consistency this decade and they'll look for their eighth straight season with 11 or more home wins. Defense hasn't been the issue; UVA ranks No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense (55.8 points per game). The issue has been on the offensive end, especially on the road.
“I wish we could find easier ways to get some buckets, just to give us a little more cushion,” Virginia head coach Tony Bennett said this past weekend.
Watch for London Perrantes to lead the way Monday night. He's averaging 12.6 points per game, a figure that's currently the lowest scoring average to lead any UVA team in a single season. He's been vocal following the team's recent stretch, though, and should have a big night against Miami.
Opposite Trends:
While Virginia has been struggling as of late, Miami heads into Monday's contest following back-to-back wins over Georgia Tech and Clemson. UVA's three losses in a row makes the ACC race a whole lot more entertaining, especially with Miami -- who's tied with Virginia and Syracuse in the conference standings -- in town.
