Virginia probable starters: G London Perrantes (12.4 ppg, 3.9 apg), G Devon Hall (9.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg), G Kyle Guy (7.8 ppg), C Jack Salt (3.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg), G Ty Jerome (3.7 ppg).
Pittsburgh probable starters: F Michael Young (20.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg), G Jamel Artis (18.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), F Cameron Johnson (11.9 ppg), G Sheldon Jeter (8.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg), G Chris Jones (7.1 ppg).
Notes: This will be the final home game of the season for Virginia, which will recognize its senior, London Perrantes, in pregame ceremonies. Perrantes had a big role in the first UVa-Pitt game, scoring nine points in the final 2:42 of regulation, including a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to send the game into overtime. It was the first of three overtime losses for the Cavaliers, who responded by winning their next five games. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, lost its succeeding eight games and is 3-12 since that night. That includes a 61-52 loss Tuesday at Georgia Tech. One night earlier, Virginia upset No. 5 North Carolina 53-43, holding the Tar Heels to their lowest scoring total since 1979. ... Pitt hopes to regain the services of 6-8 sixth man Kyle Luther, who missed the past 12 games with a back problem. ... Young is vying for the ACC scoring title, and Johnson and Artis have 73 and 69 3-pointers, respectively. The Panthers were 13 of 21 from beyond the arc in the first Pitt-UVa game. ... UVa?s Guy is shooting 50.6 percent on 3-pointers.
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No time for softness as Virginia's London Perrantes prepares for final home game
In the era of the one-and-done college star, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has a special affinity for the career Virginia point guard London Perrantes has put together.
?He?s like the old ACC terrific players of the ?80s and ?90s, when you?re there for four years and you just get better each year,? said Krzyzewski, coach of the Blue Devils since 1980.
No one in U.Va. history has started more basketball games than Perrantes, who will be on the floor for the opening tip for the 130th time today when the Cavaliers (20-9, 10-7 ACC) conclude the regular season at home against Pittsburgh.
It will be Perrantes? final game at John Paul Jones Arena.
?This is my brother. I?m going to miss him so much,? said redshirt junior Devon Hall.
Perrantes, seated next to him, interrupted.
?You?re soft,? Perrantes jokingly chided Hall, his roommate the past four years. ?You?re soft. Don?t get sentimental.?
Hall won?t be the only one who misses Perrantes.
Earlier this season, Perrantes became just the fourth player in program history to score more than 1,000 points and record at least 500 assists in his career.
Now, he?s seeking the 106th win of his career, which would tie him for sixth all time at U.Va.
With a win over Pittsburgh (15-15, 4-13), combined with losses by Duke, Louisville and Miami, Virginia could finish as high as fourth in the ACC, earning a double-bye for next week?s conference tournament in Brooklyn. But there?s no shortage of other possibilities, most of which have U.Va. ending up in the 6-8 seed range.
With a loss and a Syracuse win over Georgia Tech today, Virginia would be seeded ninth, the worst-case scenario for the Cavaliers.
Either way, for the fourth time, every year of his career, Perrantes will play in the NCAA tournament.
This year, more than ever before, U.Va. rode him to the postseason. A starter since his freshman season, Perrantes? points-per-game average has gone up each year. But in the past, he?s been a secondary option, playing with NBA talents like Joe Harris, Justin Anderson and Malcolm Brogdon.
For his senior season, center stage was all his, especially after Virginia dismissed Memphis transfer Austin Nichols after two games.
?I think he?s as important a player for his team as any player is in the country for his team,? said Krzyzewski. ?It?s not just the stats he puts up. When he?s there, you believe you have a chance to win.?
North Carolina coach Roy Williams, a Hall of Famer like Krzyzewski, has a similar appreciation for the 6-foot-2 California native, the oldest of four brothers.
?I really enjoy watching him play, when he?s playing someone else,? Williams said after U.Va. upset his fifth-ranked Tar Heels on Monday. ?I don?t enjoy watching him play when he?s playing us.?
The home crowd at John Paul Jones Arena has enjoyed watching Perrantes play. The Cavaliers are 56-7 in Charlottesville during Perrantes? career.
?I love it. John Paul Jones Arena is an amazing atmosphere for the home team,? said Perrantes. ?I think it has helped us with a lot of our wins we?ve gotten here. I hope that (the fans) come out one more time for me and the team.?
Teammate Isaiah Wilkins, a junior forward who has played three seasons with Perrantes, expects the fans will show up and show their appreciation for Perrantes today.
?He?s done so much for this program,? said Wilkins. ?Obviously, it?ll be an emotional day. Everybody loves London, so hopefully the crowd will be into it, and hopefully we?ll pull out a win.?
Despite all the winning Perrantes has done at U.Va., one of his youngest teammates said he?s learned the most from Perrantes at the senior?s lowest moments ? after losses. Freshman guard Kyle Guy said Perrantes has taught him the value of each game you get to play as a college athlete.
?He gets really down and upset right after we lose a game,? Guy said. ?I know I want to leave everything on the court so there?s no regrets, ever.?
Perrantes sees that as clear as ever now. One final regular-season game, then one guaranteed game in the ACC tournament and one in the NCAAs. He?d like to see both those tournament runs last a little longer, as long as possible to extend his college career.
?It went by way too fast,? Perrantes said, allowing himself his own soft moment.
Pittsburgh probable starters: F Michael Young (20.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg), G Jamel Artis (18.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), F Cameron Johnson (11.9 ppg), G Sheldon Jeter (8.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg), G Chris Jones (7.1 ppg).
Notes: This will be the final home game of the season for Virginia, which will recognize its senior, London Perrantes, in pregame ceremonies. Perrantes had a big role in the first UVa-Pitt game, scoring nine points in the final 2:42 of regulation, including a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to send the game into overtime. It was the first of three overtime losses for the Cavaliers, who responded by winning their next five games. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, lost its succeeding eight games and is 3-12 since that night. That includes a 61-52 loss Tuesday at Georgia Tech. One night earlier, Virginia upset No. 5 North Carolina 53-43, holding the Tar Heels to their lowest scoring total since 1979. ... Pitt hopes to regain the services of 6-8 sixth man Kyle Luther, who missed the past 12 games with a back problem. ... Young is vying for the ACC scoring title, and Johnson and Artis have 73 and 69 3-pointers, respectively. The Panthers were 13 of 21 from beyond the arc in the first Pitt-UVa game. ... UVa?s Guy is shooting 50.6 percent on 3-pointers.
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No time for softness as Virginia's London Perrantes prepares for final home game
In the era of the one-and-done college star, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has a special affinity for the career Virginia point guard London Perrantes has put together.
?He?s like the old ACC terrific players of the ?80s and ?90s, when you?re there for four years and you just get better each year,? said Krzyzewski, coach of the Blue Devils since 1980.
No one in U.Va. history has started more basketball games than Perrantes, who will be on the floor for the opening tip for the 130th time today when the Cavaliers (20-9, 10-7 ACC) conclude the regular season at home against Pittsburgh.
It will be Perrantes? final game at John Paul Jones Arena.
?This is my brother. I?m going to miss him so much,? said redshirt junior Devon Hall.
Perrantes, seated next to him, interrupted.
?You?re soft,? Perrantes jokingly chided Hall, his roommate the past four years. ?You?re soft. Don?t get sentimental.?
Hall won?t be the only one who misses Perrantes.
Earlier this season, Perrantes became just the fourth player in program history to score more than 1,000 points and record at least 500 assists in his career.
Now, he?s seeking the 106th win of his career, which would tie him for sixth all time at U.Va.
With a win over Pittsburgh (15-15, 4-13), combined with losses by Duke, Louisville and Miami, Virginia could finish as high as fourth in the ACC, earning a double-bye for next week?s conference tournament in Brooklyn. But there?s no shortage of other possibilities, most of which have U.Va. ending up in the 6-8 seed range.
With a loss and a Syracuse win over Georgia Tech today, Virginia would be seeded ninth, the worst-case scenario for the Cavaliers.
Either way, for the fourth time, every year of his career, Perrantes will play in the NCAA tournament.
This year, more than ever before, U.Va. rode him to the postseason. A starter since his freshman season, Perrantes? points-per-game average has gone up each year. But in the past, he?s been a secondary option, playing with NBA talents like Joe Harris, Justin Anderson and Malcolm Brogdon.
For his senior season, center stage was all his, especially after Virginia dismissed Memphis transfer Austin Nichols after two games.
?I think he?s as important a player for his team as any player is in the country for his team,? said Krzyzewski. ?It?s not just the stats he puts up. When he?s there, you believe you have a chance to win.?
North Carolina coach Roy Williams, a Hall of Famer like Krzyzewski, has a similar appreciation for the 6-foot-2 California native, the oldest of four brothers.
?I really enjoy watching him play, when he?s playing someone else,? Williams said after U.Va. upset his fifth-ranked Tar Heels on Monday. ?I don?t enjoy watching him play when he?s playing us.?
The home crowd at John Paul Jones Arena has enjoyed watching Perrantes play. The Cavaliers are 56-7 in Charlottesville during Perrantes? career.
?I love it. John Paul Jones Arena is an amazing atmosphere for the home team,? said Perrantes. ?I think it has helped us with a lot of our wins we?ve gotten here. I hope that (the fans) come out one more time for me and the team.?
Teammate Isaiah Wilkins, a junior forward who has played three seasons with Perrantes, expects the fans will show up and show their appreciation for Perrantes today.
?He?s done so much for this program,? said Wilkins. ?Obviously, it?ll be an emotional day. Everybody loves London, so hopefully the crowd will be into it, and hopefully we?ll pull out a win.?
Despite all the winning Perrantes has done at U.Va., one of his youngest teammates said he?s learned the most from Perrantes at the senior?s lowest moments ? after losses. Freshman guard Kyle Guy said Perrantes has taught him the value of each game you get to play as a college athlete.
?He gets really down and upset right after we lose a game,? Guy said. ?I know I want to leave everything on the court so there?s no regrets, ever.?
Perrantes sees that as clear as ever now. One final regular-season game, then one guaranteed game in the ACC tournament and one in the NCAAs. He?d like to see both those tournament runs last a little longer, as long as possible to extend his college career.
?It went by way too fast,? Perrantes said, allowing himself his own soft moment.
