UVA SPORTS
Baseball: The baseball team is 45-6. When I first wrote about the spring sports teams, they were 14-1. The Cavs haven't lost much at all. I was fortunate enough to go to the Miami game on Sunday with my dad and see us win the rubber match of the series, 5-4. It was a great game which featured great hitting, great pitching, and some dramatic moments, including the final inning. Miami entered the top of the 9th down 5-2 and made it 5-4 before finally losing. On Saturday, a game I was able to watch on TV, Virginia led Miami 3-0 in the top of the 9th before the Canes made it interesting and lost 3-2. Virginia faces High Point today before finishing out the regular season with a three-game road series at UNC starting Thursday. The Hoos need to win just one of the games against UNC to lock up the No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament, which starts next Wednesday, May 25.
Men's lacrosse: Shortly after the baseball game ended Sunday, the Cavalier men's lacrosse team kicked off their run in the NCAA tournament against Bucknell at home. I was unable to watch the match, but from the way my roommate Jack described it to me, it sounds like it was one of the most exciting lacrosse matches he has seen, and he has seen a lot. Virginia was down 10-6 in the third quarter before coming back and winning 13-12 in overtime. The Cavs finished 9-5 in the regular season, below the UVa standard, but is hoping a come from behind win can jumpstart a run in the postseason. Virginia plays Cornell--which they beat 11-9 March 12 in Baltimore--on Saturday at Hofstra University in the NCAA tourney quarterfinals. The game starts at noon and is being televised by ESPN2.
Men's tennis: The men's tennis team completed yet another undefeated run through the regular season and ACC tournament recently. I think it is either the fifth or sixth year in a row that has happened. I'm hoping they can punch through this year and win the NCAA tournament. The Cavs are off to a good start--last Friday beat Sacred Heart in round one then took care of Wake Forest in round two. UVa faces Illinois at Stanford in the round of 16 Thursday at 9 p.m.
Women's lacrosse: The women's lax season ended Saturday with a 15-7 loss to UNC in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Heels beat the Hoos three times this season. The ladies end their season with a 9-9 record.
Women's tennis: The women's team is in the same situation as the men's team--although they did not finish the regular season undefeated or win an ACC title. Virginia won its first two matches of the NCAA tourney last weekend in Charlottesville over Army and N.C. State. The women face UCLA at Stanford Friday at noon in the round of 16. Virginia's record in the spring season is 20-7.
Softball: After a promising start to the season, it was looking like the Hoos were going to build on the success of the past two seasons. That did not happen though as the Cavs lost to FSU 12-5 in the ACC tournament semifinals Saturday. One of the highlights of the year, though, did happen recently--Virginia, the No. 8 and last seed in the ACC tournament, shut out No. 1 seed Georgia Tech 6-0 in the first round of the tourney Friday. Virginia's record this season was 24-31 and 5-14 in the ACC.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA PLAYOFFS CONTINUE
I went 2-2 in my predictions for the second round. The Bulls beat the Hawks and the Thunder beat the Grizzlies (in 7 games, which is what I predicted) but I incorrectly picked the Celtics to beat the Heat and the Lakers to beat the Mavericks.
I was unable to blog between the end of Grizzlies-Thunder Game 7 and the start of Heat-Bulls Game 1 Monday night so I can't really pick the Heat-Bulls series. I will say that I was shocked at how, for the majority of the second half, Chicago dominated Miami in Game 1. And Taj Gibson's two dunks--my goodness. Absolutely ridiculous.
Honestly, with the way the Heat have looked in the playoffs, I would have picked them to beat the Bulls before the series began, probably in 6 games. Game 1 was in Chicago and Chicago held home court, so it's not like they went out and crushed the Heat in Miami. The Heat can certainly bounce back--they don't even need to win Game 2, because they get to go to Miami in Game 3, but they do need to put up a better showing than in Game 1. The blow out certainly makes things a little more interesting. Until we see how Miami responds, I think they should still be the favorite (though I'm pulling for the Bulls).
In the West, the older, veteran Mavs are facing the upstart No. 4 seed Thunder. Two years ago, the Thunder didn't make the playoffs--I think they won around 30 games. Last year, they were the No. 8 seed and managed to win two games against the Lakers in the first round. Now, they are looking like a team that can make it to the finals. The Mavericks looked awfully strong though, however, in dispatching of the Lakers in four games. Dirk Nowitzski is playing out of his mind. The Thunder, meanwhile, were taken to the brink in Game 7 by the fiesty Grizzlies. I like the Mavs 4-2 in the series, but if it went 7 that wouldn't surprise me, nor would it surprise me if the Thunder won it.
Baseball: The baseball team is 45-6. When I first wrote about the spring sports teams, they were 14-1. The Cavs haven't lost much at all. I was fortunate enough to go to the Miami game on Sunday with my dad and see us win the rubber match of the series, 5-4. It was a great game which featured great hitting, great pitching, and some dramatic moments, including the final inning. Miami entered the top of the 9th down 5-2 and made it 5-4 before finally losing. On Saturday, a game I was able to watch on TV, Virginia led Miami 3-0 in the top of the 9th before the Canes made it interesting and lost 3-2. Virginia faces High Point today before finishing out the regular season with a three-game road series at UNC starting Thursday. The Hoos need to win just one of the games against UNC to lock up the No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament, which starts next Wednesday, May 25.
Men's lacrosse: Shortly after the baseball game ended Sunday, the Cavalier men's lacrosse team kicked off their run in the NCAA tournament against Bucknell at home. I was unable to watch the match, but from the way my roommate Jack described it to me, it sounds like it was one of the most exciting lacrosse matches he has seen, and he has seen a lot. Virginia was down 10-6 in the third quarter before coming back and winning 13-12 in overtime. The Cavs finished 9-5 in the regular season, below the UVa standard, but is hoping a come from behind win can jumpstart a run in the postseason. Virginia plays Cornell--which they beat 11-9 March 12 in Baltimore--on Saturday at Hofstra University in the NCAA tourney quarterfinals. The game starts at noon and is being televised by ESPN2.
Men's tennis: The men's tennis team completed yet another undefeated run through the regular season and ACC tournament recently. I think it is either the fifth or sixth year in a row that has happened. I'm hoping they can punch through this year and win the NCAA tournament. The Cavs are off to a good start--last Friday beat Sacred Heart in round one then took care of Wake Forest in round two. UVa faces Illinois at Stanford in the round of 16 Thursday at 9 p.m.
Women's lacrosse: The women's lax season ended Saturday with a 15-7 loss to UNC in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Heels beat the Hoos three times this season. The ladies end their season with a 9-9 record.
Women's tennis: The women's team is in the same situation as the men's team--although they did not finish the regular season undefeated or win an ACC title. Virginia won its first two matches of the NCAA tourney last weekend in Charlottesville over Army and N.C. State. The women face UCLA at Stanford Friday at noon in the round of 16. Virginia's record in the spring season is 20-7.
Softball: After a promising start to the season, it was looking like the Hoos were going to build on the success of the past two seasons. That did not happen though as the Cavs lost to FSU 12-5 in the ACC tournament semifinals Saturday. One of the highlights of the year, though, did happen recently--Virginia, the No. 8 and last seed in the ACC tournament, shut out No. 1 seed Georgia Tech 6-0 in the first round of the tourney Friday. Virginia's record this season was 24-31 and 5-14 in the ACC.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA PLAYOFFS CONTINUE
I went 2-2 in my predictions for the second round. The Bulls beat the Hawks and the Thunder beat the Grizzlies (in 7 games, which is what I predicted) but I incorrectly picked the Celtics to beat the Heat and the Lakers to beat the Mavericks.
I was unable to blog between the end of Grizzlies-Thunder Game 7 and the start of Heat-Bulls Game 1 Monday night so I can't really pick the Heat-Bulls series. I will say that I was shocked at how, for the majority of the second half, Chicago dominated Miami in Game 1. And Taj Gibson's two dunks--my goodness. Absolutely ridiculous.
Honestly, with the way the Heat have looked in the playoffs, I would have picked them to beat the Bulls before the series began, probably in 6 games. Game 1 was in Chicago and Chicago held home court, so it's not like they went out and crushed the Heat in Miami. The Heat can certainly bounce back--they don't even need to win Game 2, because they get to go to Miami in Game 3, but they do need to put up a better showing than in Game 1. The blow out certainly makes things a little more interesting. Until we see how Miami responds, I think they should still be the favorite (though I'm pulling for the Bulls).
In the West, the older, veteran Mavs are facing the upstart No. 4 seed Thunder. Two years ago, the Thunder didn't make the playoffs--I think they won around 30 games. Last year, they were the No. 8 seed and managed to win two games against the Lakers in the first round. Now, they are looking like a team that can make it to the finals. The Mavericks looked awfully strong though, however, in dispatching of the Lakers in four games. Dirk Nowitzski is playing out of his mind. The Thunder, meanwhile, were taken to the brink in Game 7 by the fiesty Grizzlies. I like the Mavs 4-2 in the series, but if it went 7 that wouldn't surprise me, nor would it surprise me if the Thunder won it.
I feel like the Thunder's success against Dallas depends on a few factors, but the most important is Russell Westbrook. If he plays with smart and brilliant ball handling like he did in game 7 (a triple double), they'll be tough. At his best, he can make awesome passes and get the ball to Durant, and then make his shots. At his worst he takes way too many shots, and has poor(ish) ball handling.
ReplyDeleteyeah the way westbrook went from Game 7 to Game 1 was really bipolar. he needs to feed durant more. 14 assists in Game 7 is his best game and when they are playing the best. it helps open things up for him too prolly cuz his passing to durant gets durant points then they pay attention to the durantula and then later, westbrook can get his points.
ReplyDelete