No. 4 Virginia wraps up non-conference slate against Marshall

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. -- Playing just their third game over the past couple of weeks during the holiday season, No. 4 Virginia closes out their non-conference schedule on Monday afternoon when they host Marshall. The New Year's Eve tilt gives the undefeated Cavaliers one more tune-up game before a brutal ACC schedule grabs them by the throat. Virginia (11-0) will face three top-10 opponents in the first three weeks of the season beginning on Saturday when they welcome No. 9 Florida State into John Paul Jones Arena. Marshall (7-5) is in the midst of a five-game road trip and will face the Cavaliers in their final non-conference game as well before heading in to Conference USA action. The Herd have lost three of their last five games after starting the season 4-0 and they are matching up against Virginia for the first time since 1992. The Cavaliers own a 6-2 series record against Marshall. Virginia head coach Tony Bennett will be looking for his 300th career victory on Monday and he has his team off to an 11-0 start for the second time in five seasons after they started 19-0 back in 2014-15. "I told the guys before the game that you should feel good about yourselves," Bennett said after his team's win over William & Mary eight days ago. "Not too good about yourselves, but good. Competition will continue to step up, and we'll keep knocking, like we like to say." The Cavaliers continue to boast the nation's top scoring defense (50.3), which seems to be a yearly tradition in Charlottesville. William & Mary became the sixth Virginia opponent already this season to be held under 50 points as the Tribe managed just 17 second-half points. Marshall has had no problem scoring the basketball this season, but it has been less than stellar on the defensive end. The Herd are 321st out of 353 Division I teams in scoring defense (80.2) and are coming off a game where they surrendered 92 to Texas A&M. Senior Jon Elmore, the Herd's "do all guard" will be Virginia's focus on defense as he enters Monday's game averaging a team-high 19.6 ppg. Elmore is shooting 37 percent from deep this season and chips in with five assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. Joining Elmore is fellow senior C.J. Burks, who helps carry the offensive load. Burks is scoring at an 18 ppg clip this season and plays 33 minutes to go along with Elmore's 34.6 minutes per game. Sophomore De'Andre Hunter pulled himself out of a mini-slump when he scored 18 points in Virginia's win over William & Mary. "I definitely think I was more aggressive on offense," Hunter said. "In the past two games, I had been kind of passive and just letting the game come to me, and I just tried to be more assertive this game." Hunter (14.8 ppg) and junior guards Ty Jerome (14.2 ppg) and Kyle Guy (14.1 ppg) have been the catalysts on offense this season for the Cavaliers. The trio has proven to be impossible to shut down as if one is shut down, another steps up to lead the offensive attack. A win over Marshall would be Virginia's 17th straight against a non-conference opponent in the friendly confines of John Paul Jones Arena. Bennett owns a 71-6 record at Virginia at home against out of conference teams.