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A major non-conference basketball matchup is set for Sunday in the nation's capital, as No. 9 Virginia takes on No. 12 Arkansas. Both teams are considered contenders in their respective conferences, making this one of the most anticipated games of the early season.
Neither squad has faced a significant challenge yet, with their opponents so far being Drexel, Northeastern, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The victor will earn a valuable non-conference win that could loom large on Selection Sunday, while the loser will have opportunities to recover later in the season.
How to Watch and Listen
The game will be broadcast on ESPN, with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EST. Kevin Brown will handle play-by-play duties, and Sean Farnham will serve as analyst. On the radio, the Virginia Sports Radio Network will carry the game, with John Freeman on play-by-play and Jimmy Miller as analyst. Affiliates can be found at VirginiaSports.com/Radio. Satellite radio listeners can tune in on SiriusXM channel 179 or 234, or via the SXM app on channel 958. The Virginia Sports mobile app will also provide coverage, and live stats are available at UVA.StatBroadcast.com.
Key Analysis
The game will feature a clash of strengths. Arkansas, under head coach John Calipari, is expected to have one of the nation's top offenses, led by a backcourt of Jeremiah Wilkinson and Jordan Smith Jr. that may be the best Virginia faces all season. Virginia, on the other hand, hangs its hat on defense and remains strong on that end even after losing rim protector Ugonna Onyenso. The matchup between Arkansas's defense and Virginia's offense will also be intriguing.
Preseason ACC Player of the Year Thijs de Ridder is off to an impressive start for the Cavaliers, coming off a 16-point performance on Friday against Northeastern. Chance Mallory bounced back from a tough season opener on Tuesday to score a career-high 20 points, along with five assists and four steals, against Northeastern on Friday. Virginia head coach Ryan Odom praised Mallory for reducing turnovers and persevering in the second half: "I think I want to highlight that because that's one of the things that we've been talking about. We have two guys consistently that get on the floor, and that's Chance and Johann. Those two guys get on the floor. We've talked to everybody else. Okay, this is not maybe I'll do it this time or that time or whatever. It's like you're doing it every time, and they need you to join them in this. I think you saw some of that tonight. We didn't get everyone, but the hustle in the second half far outweighed the hustle in the first half. The hustle was not there in the first half like we needed it to be."
While no game is a must-win in November, Odom and his program faced criticism last season for failing to beat top-tier opponents. They did secure wins over Louisville and Miami but struggled against Duke and suffered an early exit in the NCAA Tournament against Tennessee. A victory over an Arkansas team expected to contend for the SEC regular-season and tournament titles, and possibly a Final Four berth, would silence some of that criticism.
The stage is set for an exciting game in D.C. on Sunday.