No. 16 UVA set to face No. 1 Gonzaga Saturday

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - No. 16 Virginia is preparing to face the nation’s top team Saturday afternoon.

UVA will play no. 1 Gonzaga in Fort Worth, TX.

The ‘Hoos are coming off a 36-point win over William & Mary Tuesday afternoon.

The Cavaliers were unable to play previously scheduled games against no. 12 Michigan State, Wake Forest and no. 5 Villanova due to a pause in basketball-related activities because of COVID-19 issues within the program.

Virginia was able to add this game to the out-of-conference slate Dec. 17.

“When you play a team as talented and as explosive as Gonzaga, I don’t know what prepares you for that,” Virginia head coach Tony Bennett said. “I know how good they are and I know what we’ll have to do at a high level to be in a game like that, make it competitive and hopefully be successful. I understand that and it’ll be a different kind of game the way they get down the floor.”

Bennett said UVA will have to improve on the boards as the 14 offensive rebounds they allowed against William & Mary “won’t fly” against Gonzaga.

Tip-off from Dickies Arena is at 4 p.m.