GAME NOTES: The Virginia Cavaliers hit the road this afternoon as they try to avoid their first eight-game slide in a decade as they challenge the Boston College Eagles in ACC action at Silvio O. Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill. Virginia has hit the skids in the last month with a seven-game losing streak and is now just 1-9 in ACC play. The last time the Cavaliers, who have fallen in eight straight ACC road games, opened conference play 1-10 was back in 1976-77. On Tuesday night, the team was pitted against fifth-ranked North Carolina at home and came up just short in a 75-74 decision. As for the Eagles, they finally broke out of a funk on Valentine's Day when they dismissed NC State rather easily in an 82-65 outing. The victory halted a six-game slide for Boston College, which is now 4-6 in conference play and 13-10 overall. With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, the Cavs have won all but one of the previous six meetings, that lone BC triumph coming in Chestnut Hill. Virginia crushed the Eagles in the first meeting this season by a score of 84-66 at John Paul Jones Arena on January 19th.

Sean Singletary put together a dynamic stat line against North Carolina in Virginia's last game, posting 27 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals, yet even that effort couldn't keep the Cavs from bowing in the one- point decision. Part of the problem was that no other starter on the squad was able to break into double digits, the quartet combining to shoot only 7-of-27 from the field. Calvin Baker added 10 points off the bench, but it simply wasn't enough support for Singletary who continues to be one of the top scorers in the ACC this season with his 19.0 ppg. Also the top passer for the Cavaliers with a total of 137 assists over the course of 23 starts, Singletary has feasted at the free-throw line where he has made 123-of-147 chances. Mamadi Diane and Adrian Joseph account for 11.7 and 11.6 ppg, respectively, which means the three top scorers for Virginia are producing more than half of the team's 75.7 ppg this year.

Coming off a 10-point loss to Duke five days earlier, the Eagles put their best foot forward earlier this week with a resounding win over NC State. Tyrese Rice tied his career-high with 32 points while handing out six assists and Rakim Sanders played beyond his years with 14 points and a career-best 12 boards in the triumph. The team not only shot 55.6 percent from the field overall, but also 7-of-14 beyond the arc to offset NC State's 40-24 scoring advantage in the paint. Rice continues to be one of the top performers in the ACC this season with a team-best 20.5 ppg to go along with his 114 assists and 37 steals through the 22 games in which he has appeared. Sanders checks in with 12.2 ppg and has done well to balance his perimeter efforts at 40.9 percent shooting with his 4.7 rpg, giving the Eagles a slight advantage over the opposition on the glass. Tyrelle Blair may not be that much of an offensive threat with just 5.8 ppg, but his 5.0 rpg and 86 blocked shots certainly deserve more attention.

The matchup between Singletary and Rice should be an interesting one, but could well see the dynamic duo canceling each other out, which means the outcome will be left to the supporting casts. Unfortunately for the Cavs, there might not be enough standout players to fill the gap.