Fresh off a win over Manhattan on Tuesday night, UVa is back to work for their second game this week, hosting the Holy Cross Crusaders for a Black Friday matinee (4pm, ACCNX). The Wahoos are looking to get their fifth win of the season, before the schedule ramps up once again next week, with games at Florida and SMU on deck.

Friday will mark UVa’s fourth game this season against a team ranked 295th or worse in Kenpom. The Crusaders come in with a record of 4-3, having started 0-2 before a quick four-game winning streak that ended on Sunday with a blowout loss at Maine. All four of Holy Cross’ wins came against teams ranked 243rd or worse in Kenpom, with one win coming against a non-D1 opponent (Mitchell). All three of Holy Cross’ losses came in lopsided fashion, losing by 24 at Wisconsin, 14 at Rhode Island, and 25 at Maine.

The Crusaders are in their second season under head coach Dave Paulsen, who has been tasked with turning around a program that was one of the nation’s best decades ago, but has fallen on hard times. Paulsen, who was previously the head coach at Bucknell and George Mason, led Holy Cross to a 10-23 season last year, and were picked to finish next-to-last in the Patriot League preseason poll.

Holy Cross enters Friday’s matchup ranked 318th in Kenpom, 12 spots behind a Manhattan team that gave the Hoos some problems on Tuesday night. The Crusaders rank 224th nationally on the offensive end of the floor, and a woeful 357th on defense, just seven spots from dead last in D1.

With the basketball, Holy Cross has done a good job shooting threes and free throws, but not much else. The Crusaders are making 37.8 percent from deep, which ranks 50th-best nationally, and 77.4 percent at the line, which ranks 45th. But Holy Cross makes just 48.1 percent of their two’s, and don’t get to the line a ton. They also rank 263rd nationally in offensive rebound rate, so they aren’t much of a threat around the rim, or on the glass.

On defense, nearly every area has been a struggle. Holy Cross ranks 323rd in effective field goal rate allowed, 266th in three-point percentage allowed, 331st in two-point percentage allowed, 320th in bock rate, and 326th in steal rate. Needless to say, this is a game where UVa should have a significant advantage around the rim and in the paint, as Holy Cross doesn’t seem to have the size or skill inside to cause problems for an opponent with major-conference talent.

Max Green, Guard

The Crusaders’ leading scorer, freshman wing Max Green is off to a great start to his collegiate career. Green is averaging a team-best 12.6 points per contest, and has scored in double figures five times, including a 25-point game in the win over Sacred Heart. The 6-foot-6 wing has shot the ball well, making 41.2 percent of his three-point tries, attempting 34 on the season.

Caleb Kenney, Forward

A 6-foot-6 senior, Kenney will be playing close to home on Friday. The Richmond native played his high school ball at Douglas Freeman. In his senior season with the Crusaders, Kenney is averaging 10.8 points per game, and has hit double figures in each of his last three contests. Kenney plays as an undersized forward, and hasn’t attempted a single three on the season.

Joe Nugent, Forward

Yet another 6-foot-6 Crusader, Joe Nugent is second in scoring among regular contributors for Holy Cross this season. The sophomore from Berkley, Mass is averaging 11.6 points per game, adding 5.3 rebounds per contest. Nugent had an impressive 27-point effort in the loss to Rhode Island, including seven made threes on 14 attempts.

For the second time this week, UVa has a should-be-win on the schedule. The Crusaders are trying to rebuild their program, but Virginia needs to handle business on Black Friday, and get to 5-2 on the season. Virginia looked good at the beginning of Tuesday’s win against Manhattan, and while the Jaspers never got closer than six points, UVa’s effort wasn’t good enough against an overmatched team. Perhaps in Friday’s game, UVa can put together a more complete effort against another low-major opponent.