Virginia 61, Maryland 58, OT
Note: Vote in my poll on the right if you haven't. Are the 'Hoos going dancing?
Virginia took down Maryland at home Sunday to complete an undefeated run in the ACC at John Paul Jones Arena this year (9-0) but it wasn't easy. The Cavaliers had to battle back from a 17-point first-half deficit that was 13 points at halftime and as many as eight points with five minutes left. But they pulled it off behind a great effort from Akil Mitchell (17 points and 10 rebounds) and a gritty effort from Joe Harris, who didn't have his best stuff, but did finish with 15 points and hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 1:36 left in regulation. Harris, a junior, was named first-team All-ACC on Monday. Mitchell was a third-teamer and Jontel Evans was selected to the All-Defensive team.
Mike Tobey came off the bench to score 13 points, his best game since a 13-point effort against N.C. State on Jan. 29. He scored 12 points against Florida State in the loss last Thursday. After a bout of mono, it looks like the freshman is getting back on track, which could be really helpful to Virginia. He put in the game-tying shot at the end of regulation and also tipped in what ended up being the winning shot in overtime. Justin Anderson also had a good game, and he is another guy who has been quiet. The freshman had his best game of the season in February at Maryland with 17 points, and on Sunday, he contributed eight points, six rebounds, five blocks (tied a JPJ-high), three assists (including the game-tying one at the end of regulation) and one steal. Anderson has heard a lot from Maryland fans after he de-committed from the Terrapins after Gary Williams' retirement, and so far, he seems to have extra motivation playing them. The final sequence of regulation was awesome. Anderson slipped a tight pass off an out-of-bounds play to Tobey, who tied it. Maryland had a few seconds to get down the court and get a potential winning shot off, and Anderson blocked the final attempt by Dez Wells at the buzzer, sending the ball into the crowd with a harsh rejection.
Stomach-churning gamecast
I was at work during the game following it on ESPN.com's Gamecast. I have followed many a game this way and it always painful, especially when it is a close game, which is often with UVa (five of Virginia's last six games have been decided by four, five, one, two, and three points). I was very busy Sunday, and so I started off not paying a lot of attention to the gamecast and really tuned it out once Maryland got up 25-8. I figured the game might be over and decided not to follow for awhile. I saw that the 'Hoos closed the half on a decent run but still had a lot of work to do. The second half had me hopeful the whole way as Virginia cut it nine, eight, then six points. It went back to nine, then 11, then back to nine. And finally it got to around six and lower and I had to start obsessively following it. I sat glued to the screen for the final stretch run as Virginia was trying to tie it. This gamecast was particular stressful because the little dots and graphics moved very slowly. I have followed games on VirginiaSports.com before and when you see a shot taken, it happens fast, like it would as if you were watching the game in-person. This gamecast, however, was painfully slow. The shots were illustrated using a little orange dot that moved in the air very slowly. Every shot seemed to take five seconds and you never knew whether it went or not until the dot went through the "rim" and the score changed, or it moved away from the rim. And the time aspect of the gamecast was also gut-wrenching. Virginia tied the game and the time went down to five seconds. I knew that was plenty of time for the Terps to get a shot off but I couldn't see what was happening. The gamecast said nothing about the flow of the game down the court. Finally gamecast was putting up the final shot, and it looked like it was maybe going to be good, but it was "swatted" away by Anderson before reaching the rim. It took awhile for me to grasp that there was going to be overtime, because the gamecast kind of sat in this in-between nebulous state, saying the shot had been blocked but still showing a second of time or something. So I was left wondering if Maryland had time for a rebound or to tip the shot in. My friend, JP, texted me "Wow" and I was like, "Yeah, looks like OT." And he confirmed it. So I could then breathe easy, finally accepting that the game was indeed headed to extra time.
I could breathe easier, until, of course, overtime started. Then, I was paralyzed, unable to do work. All I could do was watch the gamecast. Virginia never got behind in the overtime, so that helped the nerves a little bit, but it was still awful. As I'm sure some of you can agree, it is good to sometimes be able to follow games on a gamecast, but most of the time, especially if the game is close, it's much more cathartic and useful to be able to watch the game on TV or be at the game and actually be able to see, in real time, what is happening. It's also better, so, you know, you're not scaring your co-workers because your screaming at a computer screen.
What the win means
As exciting and awesome as the comeback victory was, in my opinion, it didn't do a ton for Virginia in terms of the NCAA tournament. A loss would have really set the Cavs back, and barring a run to the ACC tournament final, I think a loss to Maryland would pretty much have killed all hopes of an at-large bid to the Big Dance. With the win, though, I still think UVa needs to beat N.C. State on Friday in the quarterfinals (provided the Wolfpack get past the Hokies in the first round Thursday) to have a better-than-50 percent chance of making the tournament. Before the final five games, I said I thought Virginia needed to go 4-1 to ensure a bid. It went 3-2. In the final three games, I thought 2-1 would be enough, and it went 1-2. I thought 3-2 with a Duke win COULD have been enough and that is exactly what happened but I just don't think it is enough anymore. UVa really needed one of those wins on the road over Boston College or Florida State but it just didn't quite happen. Other teams around the bubble have gotten big wins in recent days, such as both Kentucky and Tennessee defeating Florida.
ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the 'Hoos as the last at-large team in the tournament currently, playing in a "First Four" game against Boise State.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
That would change, though, with a loss Friday. The Cavs would then likely fall out of the tournament. A win Friday could bump UVa up a notch or two, though, and the Cavs could be in a better position. Of course, none of this is guaranteed and none of this is a science. Lunardi can predict and prognosticate, but he has nothing to do with the selections and they are made by a different group of people. For all we know, UVa could be more safely in the tourney than we think, or further out than we think.
Eamonn Brennan's latest Bubble Watch: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bubblewatch
It's coming down to the final games for the 'Hoos. It is a nerve-wracking time for fans, but I think it is more desirable for fans to be on the edge of their seats on Selection Sunday than for us to be knowing that there is no chance the 'Hoos dance. This year's team, despite some setbacks and disappointments, has exceeded expectations when you take a look at what was expected at the beginning of the season. I think UVa puts itself in a pretty solid position with a win Friday. A loss will really make fans sweat.
Just make sure you're watching the selection show Sunday on TV, and not following it in a "gamecast" type scenario.
Note: Vote in my poll on the right if you haven't. Are the 'Hoos going dancing?
Virginia took down Maryland at home Sunday to complete an undefeated run in the ACC at John Paul Jones Arena this year (9-0) but it wasn't easy. The Cavaliers had to battle back from a 17-point first-half deficit that was 13 points at halftime and as many as eight points with five minutes left. But they pulled it off behind a great effort from Akil Mitchell (17 points and 10 rebounds) and a gritty effort from Joe Harris, who didn't have his best stuff, but did finish with 15 points and hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 1:36 left in regulation. Harris, a junior, was named first-team All-ACC on Monday. Mitchell was a third-teamer and Jontel Evans was selected to the All-Defensive team.
 |
| UVa freshman Mike Tobey |
 |
| UVa freshman Justin Anderson |
Stomach-churning gamecast
I was at work during the game following it on ESPN.com's Gamecast. I have followed many a game this way and it always painful, especially when it is a close game, which is often with UVa (five of Virginia's last six games have been decided by four, five, one, two, and three points). I was very busy Sunday, and so I started off not paying a lot of attention to the gamecast and really tuned it out once Maryland got up 25-8. I figured the game might be over and decided not to follow for awhile. I saw that the 'Hoos closed the half on a decent run but still had a lot of work to do. The second half had me hopeful the whole way as Virginia cut it nine, eight, then six points. It went back to nine, then 11, then back to nine. And finally it got to around six and lower and I had to start obsessively following it. I sat glued to the screen for the final stretch run as Virginia was trying to tie it. This gamecast was particular stressful because the little dots and graphics moved very slowly. I have followed games on VirginiaSports.com before and when you see a shot taken, it happens fast, like it would as if you were watching the game in-person. This gamecast, however, was painfully slow. The shots were illustrated using a little orange dot that moved in the air very slowly. Every shot seemed to take five seconds and you never knew whether it went or not until the dot went through the "rim" and the score changed, or it moved away from the rim. And the time aspect of the gamecast was also gut-wrenching. Virginia tied the game and the time went down to five seconds. I knew that was plenty of time for the Terps to get a shot off but I couldn't see what was happening. The gamecast said nothing about the flow of the game down the court. Finally gamecast was putting up the final shot, and it looked like it was maybe going to be good, but it was "swatted" away by Anderson before reaching the rim. It took awhile for me to grasp that there was going to be overtime, because the gamecast kind of sat in this in-between nebulous state, saying the shot had been blocked but still showing a second of time or something. So I was left wondering if Maryland had time for a rebound or to tip the shot in. My friend, JP, texted me "Wow" and I was like, "Yeah, looks like OT." And he confirmed it. So I could then breathe easy, finally accepting that the game was indeed headed to extra time.
I could breathe easier, until, of course, overtime started. Then, I was paralyzed, unable to do work. All I could do was watch the gamecast. Virginia never got behind in the overtime, so that helped the nerves a little bit, but it was still awful. As I'm sure some of you can agree, it is good to sometimes be able to follow games on a gamecast, but most of the time, especially if the game is close, it's much more cathartic and useful to be able to watch the game on TV or be at the game and actually be able to see, in real time, what is happening. It's also better, so, you know, you're not scaring your co-workers because your screaming at a computer screen.
What the win means
As exciting and awesome as the comeback victory was, in my opinion, it didn't do a ton for Virginia in terms of the NCAA tournament. A loss would have really set the Cavs back, and barring a run to the ACC tournament final, I think a loss to Maryland would pretty much have killed all hopes of an at-large bid to the Big Dance. With the win, though, I still think UVa needs to beat N.C. State on Friday in the quarterfinals (provided the Wolfpack get past the Hokies in the first round Thursday) to have a better-than-50 percent chance of making the tournament. Before the final five games, I said I thought Virginia needed to go 4-1 to ensure a bid. It went 3-2. In the final three games, I thought 2-1 would be enough, and it went 1-2. I thought 3-2 with a Duke win COULD have been enough and that is exactly what happened but I just don't think it is enough anymore. UVa really needed one of those wins on the road over Boston College or Florida State but it just didn't quite happen. Other teams around the bubble have gotten big wins in recent days, such as both Kentucky and Tennessee defeating Florida.
ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the 'Hoos as the last at-large team in the tournament currently, playing in a "First Four" game against Boise State.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
That would change, though, with a loss Friday. The Cavs would then likely fall out of the tournament. A win Friday could bump UVa up a notch or two, though, and the Cavs could be in a better position. Of course, none of this is guaranteed and none of this is a science. Lunardi can predict and prognosticate, but he has nothing to do with the selections and they are made by a different group of people. For all we know, UVa could be more safely in the tourney than we think, or further out than we think.
Eamonn Brennan's latest Bubble Watch: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bubblewatch
It's coming down to the final games for the 'Hoos. It is a nerve-wracking time for fans, but I think it is more desirable for fans to be on the edge of their seats on Selection Sunday than for us to be knowing that there is no chance the 'Hoos dance. This year's team, despite some setbacks and disappointments, has exceeded expectations when you take a look at what was expected at the beginning of the season. I think UVa puts itself in a pretty solid position with a win Friday. A loss will really make fans sweat.
Just make sure you're watching the selection show Sunday on TV, and not following it in a "gamecast" type scenario.
Comments
Post a Comment