CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.: Some numbers nonetheless establish Virginia as one of many elite groups in faculty basketball, particularly on the defensive finish — lengthy their calling card underneath coach Tony Bennett.
Except, that’s, for those that put a Top 25 quantity earlier than their identify.
But in a season that definitely qualifies as a rebuilding one, the Cavaliers lastly appear to be all on the identical web page, and are taking part in like a group to be reckoned with once more.
Virginia (16-5, 7-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) has just about lived within the high 10 for a number of years, however the two occasions they’ve performed their approach into the ballot this 12 months, they shortly adopted with blowout losses, first 65-41 towards No. 6 Wisconsin, then 77-54 at Memphis. Their 5 losses have come by a median of 20.8 factors.
But issues are getting higher. Their 65-53 victory over Notre Dame on Wednesday night time was their fifth in a row and twenty second in a row at dwelling, the longest energetic dwelling profitable streak within the nation. They hope to proceed their resurgence on Saturday once they play at Clemson (14-6, 4-5), which is 8-2 at dwelling.
“I think we’re improving. Still have a ways to go,” Bennett stated after the victory towards the Fighting Irish, which avenged a 76-54 loss in South Bend on Dec. 30, their worst ACC loss since 2017. “Early, you could see, trying to find our identity. … We just kept chipping away, simplifying some things on both ends and really demanding more, quite honestly. But also being more patient, if that makes sense.”
The want for endurance principally got here from having to include an inflow of transfers and freshman after this system misplaced seven gamers following final season. Three of them, groomed for expanded roles this 12 months, opted to switch as a substitute.
The losses might have been harsher, however level guard Reece Beekman determined to return after testing the NBA waters, giving Bennett some a lot-wanted management.
“That’s kind of a reason I came back to school was to lead these guys and have another opportunity to have Virginia in the top of the standings,” Beekman stated after main the best way with 21 factors towards the Irish. “It’s still a long season. We’ve got much to improve, but I like how we’re trending in the right direction.”
The reigning ACC defensive participant of the 12 months, Beekman is 12 factors away from 1,000 for his profession and leads the ACC in assists (6.2 per recreation) and steals (2.4).
A fellow starter, sophomore Isaac McKneely, ranks second nationally in 3-level proportion (48.1) and arrived final 12 months as West Virginia’s Mr. Basketball with the advantage of having performed a model of the Pack-Line protection in highschool.
Learning the protection is crucial at Virginia, and as transfers Jordan Minor (Merrimack), Jacob Groves (Oklahoma) and Andrew Rohde (St. Thomas, Minn.) have picked it up, it’s made them greater elements, tremendously increasing Bennett’s choices.
Groves scored a season-excessive 18 factors towards the Irish, on 6 for 8 3-level taking pictures. Minor is bodily and has scored in double figures in three of the previous 5 video games after not doing it in any respect in any of his first 14. Rohde, a 3rd starter within the backcourt, averages simply 5.3 factors however has 63 assists and solely 25 turnovers.
“The sign of a good team, which they are, and a well-coached team, is they are starting to hit their stride right now,” Irish coach Micah Shrewsberry stated.
Perhaps the clearest signal that issues are coming collectively is that solely one of many Cavaliers’ final six opponents has reached 60 factors. They haven’t completed decrease than sixth in scoring protection nationally prior to now 13 seasons — they’ve been first six occasions — and rank among the many leaders in subject objective proportion protection, too.
The advantages come at each ends.
“Why we’ve been a better team as of late is we’ve been better defensively,” Bennett stated. “And I think that helps a lot of things. We’ve just simplified.”
They hope the method retains them trending upward.
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AP faculty basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
