Arts, Leisure and Sports
The cold weather is here and that means there are special winter activities to enjoy in Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Local restaurants have been adapting to the winter weather by implementing heated outdoor patios so that people can still enjoy eating outside when it’s cold. WFIR’s Rachel Meell has more on what you can do in the area during the winter months:
For more information on restaurants with heated outdoor seating, click here. For winter outdoor adventures to find in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, click here.
Tony Bennett (right) from the Associated Press
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Virginia coach Tony Bennett thinks that his team has more to improve this season. But he believes his team’s rout of No. 12 Clemson is a strong stride forward in that journey.
“It’s one game,” Bennett cautioned after the 18th-ranked Cavaliers won their 11th straight over the Tigers, 85-50 on Saturday night. “But we’re taking steps in the right direction.” And those steps could lead the Cavaliers (9-2, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) back to the top of the ACC.
Virginia used accurate shooting and a stingy defense to open a double-digit lead and won by its biggest margin in ACC play since topping Wake Forest 70-34 in February 2015.
There were plenty of questions for the 2019 national champions after a humbling 98-75 loss to No. 1 Gonzaga last month. Ever since, Virginia has played like the regular-season ACC champions it was in 2018 and 2019. Sam Hauser and Tomas Woldetensae had 14 points and four 3-pointers each to lead the Cavaliers, who are off to their best league start since opening 12-0 in the 2017-18 season.
“I think we’ve grown” since the Gonzaga loss, said Hauser, the Marquette graduate transfer. “We’ve taken some really good strides since that game. It’s been showing.” That was evident against Clemson (9-2, 3-2 ACC), which entered as the league’s best in fewest points allowed per game. Instead, Virginia took control from the start with their accurate shooting and their own defensive grit.
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The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association had been holding a number of championship events including the football title game in the Roanoke Valley recently – despite the fact there is no school from the Historically Black Conference located here. That ended with the pandemic, but Commissioner Jacquie McWilliams says they hope to return as early as this Fall. In the meantime the CIAA’s s annual “Tournament Week” event that was live and coincided with the Conference basketball playoffs will be held virtually, beginning February 23rd. See the CIAAtournament.org website for a complete list the “Virtual Vibe – Tournament Edition” events.
The pandemic didn’t stop one annual event put on by Play Roanoke encouraging folks get out and be active . WFIR’s Rob Ruthenberg has this report