Tonight the Virginia Cavaliers (6-4, 0-1) face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (7-4) and aside from the freshmen on the team most of the Hoos will remember the battle that both teams waged last season. Expect a huge test tonight for the Cavaliers as they face a talented WKU squad that also remembers the 80-79 defeat they suffered in double overtime to the Hoos last year.
Last year J.R. Reynolds battled food poisoning and came off the bench to score 20 points while Jason Clark had a career game in the paint for the Hoos. Reynolds and the rest of the Hoo perimeter players will have to try and slow down WKU's Anthony Winchester who torched the Hoos for 30 points and 11 boards last season. Another Hilltopper returnee to keep an eye out for is Courtney Lee who as a freshman last year dropped 20 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. In the paint for the Hilltoppers once again is Elgrace Wilborn who provides the brunt of the muscle for the guard oriented Hilltoppers at 6'7 245 pounds.
This year Courtney Lee leads WKU averaging 19.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg while Anthony Winchester is averaging 19.3 ppg and 6.2 rpg. Expect a heavy dose of the duo once again tonight. Elgrace Wilborn leads the team in rebounding with 6.9 per game while averaging 7.9 points per game. Those questioning the ability of the Hilltoppers should not only look at last season's game against UVa but recently they took Arizona to overtime before falling 86-81. This is the same Arizona team that ripped UVa by 30 in a 81-51 loss earlier this season.
The Hoos will have to rely on their athleticism as well as the leadership of J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary. They will also need to have another strong performance from Jason Cain who has been on a tear as of late going for double doubles in four of UVa's last six games. Also stepping to the forefront as of late is sophomore swingman Adrian Joseph who has found his stroke and has played extremely well averaging over 16 points a game in his last three contests.
Dave Leitao will be up early and often as his strict defensive expectations will be tested by the fast tempoed Hilltoppers. Western Kentucky comes into tonight's game averaging 82 points a game. While Virginia when at full strength can run with the best of them but T.J. Bannister isn't quite yet to full strength and the Hoos will have to turn to Reynolds and Mamadi Diane to relieve Sean Singletary of point guard duties for a breather. Although he's averaged 29 minutes per game this season don't expect much time on the bench for Singletary unless the Hoos either jump out to a big lead or he gets into early foul trouble.
Tipoff is set for 8:00 PM at the E.A. Diddle Arena.
Tonight J.R. Reynolds will look to help lead the Cavaliers to a victory over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers for the second consecutive season.