All signs point to a defensive struggle vs. Clemson

Forty-nine would seem to be the magic number for Virginia when it hosts Clemson tonight at John Paul Jones Arena. That’s the number of points UVa has scored in each of its last two meetings against the Tigers.

In coach Tony Bennett’s first season at the helm, the Cavaliers lost at Clemson, 72-49. Last season, Bennett’s Bunch beat the Tigers and first-year coach Brad Brownell at JPJ, 49-47.

This season, Virginia — which moved up to No. 16 in the AP Top 25 poll on Monday — is allowing the fewest points per game in the ACC; Clemson ranks second.

“They defend,” said Bennett, referring to Clemson. “[Brownell] does a real good job and we try and defend, too. It’s a hard-fought game. Possessions are hard to come by, but each game is sometimes different.

“I think we have some constants that we rely on. Those are going to be there in terms of working on that defensive end, but sometimes games present different opportunities, so to say that it’s going to be a carbon copy of last year’s [game] — its hard to predict that. But I know that both of us want to make the other work for real quality possessions, quality shots. In watching them, I see those same things.”

If points do wind up being at a premium, Virginia (17-3, 4-2) would seem to have the benefit of guard Sammy Zeglinski being back on track.

Prior to the win over N.C. State, UVa players held a meeting in which they passed around index cards and critiqued each other. Ironically, Joe Harris drew Zeglinski, his roommate.

“I said not to doubt yourself after a rough night because the entire team believes in him so much and knows how great of a shooter he is, regardless of some of his off nights,” Harris said. “So I told him to never be down on himself.”

Zeglinski responded with a good game, going 4 out of 5 from 3-point range.

Last season, Zeglinski scored 12 points against Clemson.

This will be the first of two meetings with Clemson (UVa plays at Clemson on Feb. 14). After a 1-3 start in ACC play, the Tigers (11-9, 3-3) are coming off wins over Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. Brownell says his team is expecting a very tough game.

“Tony’s done an unbelievable job,” Brownell said. “Mike Scott is a terrific player and certainly a first-team All-ACC guy to me, if not in the running for Player of the Year.”

Dunks

Bennett was asked about VCU coach Shaka Smart’s statement from Monday in which Smart said that the best teams in the state of Virginia are in the CAA, not the ACC. “Well, Shaka’s a very good coach and I certainly respect him,” Bennett said. “You know, that’s one man’s opinion. I think it’s a very good league and I certainly respect it. We’ve played George Mason and Drexel, who are two very good teams. There’s that old adage, ‘What’s the toughest league in America? The one you’re in.’ That’s always the case.” Virginia beat Drexel (49-35) and George Mason (68-48)... Bennett said Assane Sene (fractured ankle) is set to have his cast removed on Wednesday. At that point, X-rays will be taken to see how things have progressed. The senior is not expected back until late February or early March... N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried believes a foul could have been called on Lorenzo Brown’s game-winning 3-point attempt against Virginia on Saturday. “They did a nice job defending it,” said Gottfied on Monday, “but I was of the opinion that we also could have found ourselves on the foul line as well.”