Cavaliers look to end slide

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Virginia coach Tony Bennett says there has been at least one advantage in not having leading scorer Sylven Landesberg and senior captain Calvin Baker available for the ACC tournament.

“Ethan [Saliba] our trainer said we got the taping done a lot quicker,” Bennett quipped, “and we’re ready to practice sooner.”

These days, Bennett needs to find a silver lining anywhere he can. His team hasn’t won a game in over six weeks and his players are disappearing faster than “Band of Brothers” characters.

Today at noon, ninth-seeded Virginia (14-15, 5-11) will play eighth-seeded Boston College (15-15, 6-10) in a first-round matchup. If fan attendance at Wednesday’s practice sessions were any indication, good seats are likely still available.

UVa’s nine-game losing streak is the program’s longest since the 1961-62 season; BC has lost six of its last nine, including a 12-point loss on the road to N.C. State on Sunday.

On Wednesday, Bennett said he isn’t sure what the suspended Landesberg — who many figure is headed to the NBA — is planning on doing. He said the door remains open for a return, but is contingent on Landesberg attending classes following spring break.

“I think whether there was a suspension or not — or wherever he was — he would have had a decision to make at the end of this year what he wanted to do with his future,” Bennett said. “And I think that’s where he’s at now, and so we’ll see.”

Baker’s absence isn’t nearly as detrimental, but it does limit Bennett’s options against a physical BC squad that had its way with UVa in Chestnut Hill eight days ago.

Baker’s subtraction probably opens more minutes for freshman Jontel Evans and junior Mustapha Farrakhan.

Evans, who remembers watching the ACC tournament with his dad as a kid, can’t wait to take the court.

“I can’t believe I’m in it now,” Evans said. “It’s a dream come true.

“I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I know once I get out there the first couple of minutes, that nervousness will go away.”

Without Landesberg, Bennett is counting on the likes of Evans, Farrakhan and Jeff Jones to step up against the Eagles.

“Whenever you lose a leading player, scorer, the other guys who know there are going to be more opportunities for them, they have to step up and be aggressive,” Bennett said.

BC coach Al Skinner said his team’s preparation for Virginia has been very different this time around. Taking 17 points, five rebounds and three assists out of the lineup will do that.

“They become a different club,” said Skinner, when asked about not having to face Landesberg. “Individually, he just kind of rose above everyone else, but they also have some other people that can contribute.”

In Virginia’s closer-than-expected loss to Maryland in the regular-season finale last Saturday, Jones scored 16 points off the bench, Jerome Meyinsse gave an inside presence and Sammy Zeglinski showed signs of breaking out of his funk.

“It’s a new season,” Zeglinski said. “We’ve had a lot of adversity going on. We’re going to have to answer it and fight, and play with all we’ve got.”

Dunks

Skinner said junior forward Corey Raji (shoulder injury), averaging 11.6 points and 5.9 rebounds, will likely play today. “He’s a warrior,” Skinner said. ... Virginia has an all-time record of 30-55 in the ACC Tournament, including a 12-21 mark in Greensboro. ... Last season, UVa lost to BC in the first round, 76-63.