The Grounds News Today

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Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim did all he could to prepare Syracuse for its rematch with Virginia on Big Monday, and by his own accounting, the Orange played their best game of the year. It wasn’t enough.

The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams closed competition at the Penn State National on Saturday, where the men’s distance medley relay team took down a 14-year-old school record by running the top time in the nation.

Ryan Dunn’s flurry of dramatic and super-athletic actions during that stretch provided a thunderous jolt that ignited No. 7 Virginia’s offense en route to the Cavaliers 16th win of the season.

Steve Forbes heard all the chatter about Virginia’s defense all season long, just like he’s heard it for years now. Yeah, Virginia’s defense is good, solid, and you better buckle up if you’re not accustomed to facing suffocating, in-your-face, pack-the-lane pressure.

Senior guard Armaan Franklin produced his first career double-double, posting game highs of 25 points and a career-high 10 rebounds to lead the way, as the Wahoos (15-3, 7-2 ACC) won their fifth-consecutive game and seventh of their last eight.

UNC has been a recruiting force within the borders of Virginia since Bly, a former Tar Heel All-American from Chesapeake, joined the Carolina staff in 2019. Bly has helped Brown’s program pluck such stars as 5-star Tony Grimes and Zach Rice right from under the noses of UVA and Tech.

Virginia enters Wednesday’s Commonwealth Clash matchup with Virginia Tech (7 p.m., ESPNU) on a three-game winning streak, and a fourth in a row would keep the 10th-ranked Cavaliers in a tie for second, just a game back of first-place Clemson.

Virginia was 11 of 22 from beyond the arc against the struggling Seminoles in a 67-58 win over Florida State.

The Virginia women’s basketball team hosts No. 22 North Carolina on Thursday at 7 p.m., at John Paul Jones Arena.