A busy start hasn’t slowed down No. 6 Virginia as it travels to Maryland for its first road test of the season on Friday night in College Park, Md.
The contest between former conference rivals will be the fifth for the Cavaliers (4-0) and just the third for the Terrapins (1-1). Virginia has played twice since Maryland’s most recent game.
The Cavaliers boosted their season scoring average to 93.0 points per game with a breezy 95-61 home victory against Bucknell on Tuesday — scoring the first 11 points, building a 22-point advantage at halftime and leading by as many as 37.
Virginia finished with 12 3-pointers and 12 steals, reaching double figures in both categories for the fourth time in as many games.
“We challenged our guys to be ready, and we talked a lot about how (when) people turn the TV on, or they choose to come to the game to watch us, are they going to get the same Virginia?” second-year coach Ryan Odom said after the team’s fourth win in eight days.
“Are they going to get Virginia in the way that we play? And I think for the most part we did (against Bucknell). That’s a big challenge. You can have ups and downs throughout the season, but it can’t be because you’re not ready to roll, or you’re tired, physically tired, mentally tired, whatever it is. You’ve got to answer.”
Chance Mallory led four players in double figures with 16 points and had six of Virginia’s 30 assists on 37 made field goals, the most helpers in a game for the Cavaliers since a 1995 win against George Mason.
“We have this saying: Your pass matters. Every time we give a pass, we’re just so confident that our teammates are going to give an extra pass,” said Thijs De Ridder, who leads the team in points (17.8) and rebounds (8.3).
Virginia and Maryland first played each other in 1913 and they were in the Atlantic Coast Conference together from 1953-2014 until the Terrapins departed for the Big Ten.
“It’s an important game for both teams,” Odom said. “And we want to do our best to play well and try to earn a ‘W’ up there, but we know it’s going to be a stiff challenge.”
The Cavaliers have won nine of the last 10 meetings against the Terrapins, including an 80-72 win at home last December.
“Against a team like Virginia, you will have to be your best not only in your competitive spirit, you’ll have to be at your best in executing your plan and then being able to respond when it’s time to adjust that plan,” said Maryland coach Buzz Williams — who coached at rival Virginia Tech from 2014-19 — on Monday’s “Talking Terps Basketball Show.”
Maryland has been idle since an 86-74 loss at Georgetown on Saturday. The Hoyas knocked down 15 of 30 3-pointers and led by as many as 27 points.
Pharrel Payne leads four Terrapins scoring in double figures with 20.5 points per game, joined by Andre Mills (15.5), Kaden House (13.5) and DJ Wagner (10.5).