Last season, the Cavs lost two heart-breaking games to the Miami Hurricanes, both of which ended in OT. Furthermore, the second meeting between the two teams last season came in the first round of the ACC Tournament; the 'Hoos gave up a 10 point lead with 40 seconds to go in regulation, then subsequently lost in stunning fashion by seven in OT. After putting up a dominant defensive showing in the first half of this season's match-up, the Hurricanes were once again able to come back and give themselves an opportunity to steal another win from the Cavs. However, this time, UVa stepped up to the challenge and closed the game out with their impressive and stout defense--one of the best in the country. Miami is undoubtedly a tough team to beat, but the Cavs finally got their game together and put away a good team.
Following the close victory against Miami, the Cavs faced an even tougher test in Duke, at Cameron Indoor. One of the top defenses against one of the top offenses in the nation. The Blue Devils pulled it out at home, but just barely. The 61-58 loss for the 'Hoos is a really tough one to swallow, however, it is an extremely encouraging loss. Tony Bennett knows his team better than anyone, and for him to claim that they didn't execute in all facets against Duke is quite the statement. The 'Hoos got off to a good start in the game, mainly as a result of Mike Scott's performance. Scott dropped 16 points in the first half--just as many as the rest of his teammates combined--to boost his team to a 4-point halftime lead. UVa held Duke to only two 3-pointers in the first half, which was a major defensive key for the Wahoos going into the matchup. Additionally, the Blue Devils had absolutely no answer for Mike Scott in the first half, as he went 7-10 shooting. The second half was a bit of a different story for both teams however. Duke stepped it up defensively, limiting the number of open looks for the Cavaliers, especially for Mike Scott. Austin Rivers and Seth Curry put up solid second half performances, but I think the key for Duke was the spark provided by the Plumlee brothers. UVa's defense somewhat broke down early in the second half, which allowed Rivers and Curry to get good looks inside to the brothers. Although UVa lost this game, so many positives came as a result; the depth of this team has been a very important discussion as of late, particularly because of the departure of two more class of 2010 recruits--James Johnson and K.T. Harrell. However, Bennett got some really valuable bench production from freshmen Malcolm Brogdon, Paul Jesperson, and Darion Atkins, and especially from sophomore Akil Mitchell, who ignited the 'Hoos and kept their opportunity to win alive with a late put-back slam. Defensively, the Cavaliers could not have done that much better. I think the key in determining the game was the play of UVa's senior guard Sammy Zeglinski. Zeglinski came into the game averaging nearly 10 points per contest; however, to put it simply, he laid an egg in this one. Zeglinski went 0 for 8 from the field, and got a number of good looks. You can't blame the guy for the loss--it happens to every athlete. If this game was played at a neutral site, I think the advantage goes to the 'Hoos.
The Cavaliers may be one of the most underrated teams not only in the ACC, but in the nation, and to nearly pull off an upset at Cameron solidifies the fact that UVa is a force to be reckoned with. A major proponent of this team's success has been Mike Scott. He is one of the most underrated players in the nation, averaging 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game. After his stellar performance against Duke, he has to be considered a top candidate for the ACC Player of the Year Award, and he should definitely be considered a candidate for the Wooden Award. Scott and much-improved big man Assane Sene have combined to form an extremely reliable post defense. Furthermore, his dominance on the court has allowed Joe Harris and Sammy Zeglinski to get even more looks from the outside as a result of double-teams implemented against him. At this point, UVa needs that third consistent scorer behind Scott and Harris, and that player has to be Sammy Zeglinski. He is a dangerous, yet streaky scorer, and it is absolutely necessary that he becomes that consistent spark for the 'Hoos in order for this team to continue its success.
The biggest surprise to me has been the bench play for this team. Freshman Malcolm Brogdon, in particular, has been the 6th man for this team, averaging about 7 points per game. Brogdon is a smart and mature player, and he is going to be a huge factor for the Cavaliers this season. In addition to Brogdon, we have seen increased minutes for sophomore Akil Mitchell and freshman Darion Atkins, who will both comprise the front court for Virginia in the coming years. These two big men are very athletic and have made a number of highlight plays this season. Last but not least, I think freshman Paul Jesperson--who dropped his redshirt status as a result of the two transfers--finally has his sea legs under him, as he has put together two straight solid efforts against tough ACC teams. I expect Jepserson's role as a sharp shooter to increase as he becomes more comfortable on the court--don't forget: he has only played 5 games thus far.
Ultimately, this is still a young, but well-coached team, and I expect them to continue successfully throughout the remainder of the season.
No comments:
Post a Comment