The calendar has flipped and UVA Wise men's basketball is ready to begin its 2024 section of the season with a home game against Mars Hill.
UVA WISE NEWS AND NOTES
>> With a 90-79 loss to NABC No. 22 West Liberty Saturday night, UVA Wise has capped the non-conference portion of the 2023-24 season and now gets ready for entirely SAC challenges the rest of the way.
The Cavs are hopeful to ring in the new year with a win against the Mars Hill Lions who enter 2024 1-9 overall this season and winless in three tries in South Atlantic Conference games.
For the Cavs, despite the 11-point road loss to West Liberty, there were numerous positives to take away from the game. For starters, junior guard Zy'ever Wingfield had arguably the best game of his career. He tied his career-high in points with 21 while setting new career best marks in rebounds (9), assists (6) and minutes (35). Wingfield went 8-for-15 from the floor and added a block and two steals on defense.
As a team, the Cavs had a tall task in trying to limit a West Liberty team that boasts one of the best offenses in the country. UVA Wise held the Hilltoppers below their nation-leading season averages in points, three pointers attempted, three pointers made, fast break points, steals and turnovers forced. The Hilltoppers entered Saturday's game averaging 101.5 points per game, ranking third in the nation. The Cavs held them to just 46 points in the first half and 90 in total.
The Cavs will enter their date with the Lions still holding a spot as one of the best passing teams in the country. UVA Wise currently ranks No. 25 nationally in A:TO ratio at 1.41 and No. 11 in assists per game at 18.5. The Cavs are also one of the best shooting teams in the country with an effective field goal percent of 58.8 that ranks No. 12 nationally. The Cavs are 7-10 all-time against Mars Hill but 4-3 since joining the SAC and undefeated in the last three meetings.
ABOUT THE MARS HILL LIONS
>> Mars Hill makes the short trip to Wise Wednesday night still searching for its first SAC win of the season. The Lions are 0-3 with losses to Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne and most recently Emory & Henry. The Lions are just 1-9 in total on the season, the lone win coming 82-72 against Young Harris back in November. Of their nine losses, the Lions have been unlucky in a few of them. Four losses have come by eight points or less including a 67-66 loss on the road at Erskine.
Even though it's still looking to get in the win column in conference play, Mars Hill is certainly a talented team. The Lions have three members who were voted to the Preseason All-SAC Team prior to the start of the season.
Sophomore forward Kory Davis was named to the Preseason First Team after being the SAC Freshman of the Year last year averaging 15.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game last year. Davis is off to a slow start this year, though. He's averaging 11.8 points in just four games this season. Davis missed six straight games from Nov. 15 to Dec. 11 but has played in the last two contests for the Lions. He scored 20 points in the loss to Emory & Henry.
Kory's twin brother, Kendall Davis, joined his family member on the Preseason All-Conference list garnering a third team selection after starting 22 games last year and averaging eight points, two assists and two steals per game. This year, Kendall Davis has started 9 of 10 games and is averaging 9.1 points having reached double figures three time with a season-high 18 points against Belmont Abbey on Nov. 11.
Finally, junior guard Kadyn Dawkins was also named to the third team. Dawkins missed all last year with injury but was the SAC Freshman of the Year in 2021-22. In his freshman season, the 5-foot-9 guard averaged 13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Lions. This year, Dawkins leads Mars Hill at 18.3 points per game while adding 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He's scored 20+ points five times including a 26-point outing against Catawba on Dec. 9.
