After crushing rival Virginia Tech, UVa returns home to face another longtime adversary, North Carolina
No. 12 North Carolina at No. 8 Virginia, 1 p.m. ESPN
The Cavaliers, in somewhat surprising fashion, completely dominated the Hokies on Wednesday in Blacksburg, giving a vintage performance and seemingly an endless "Cavalanche" in the second half to win, 78-52. The game reminded me a bit of a couple from 2013-14, Virginia's breakout year under Tony Bennett, when UVa completely overwhelmed a few foes, and teams were scrambling to find answers to what Virginia was doing. That hasn't happened as often recently as ACC coaches have begun to figure out how to play more competitively against the Cavaliers, but it does still happen from time to time. Wednesday was one of those nights. It was surprising, though, because I, for one, was expecting a close Virginia Tech win. But the Hokies, normally a hot offensive team, were bad on that end, taking many quick shots that rebounded into the hands of the more in-position Cavaliers, and were shredded on defense in the half court and when they pressed the 'Hoos. They also seemed to lack some of the fire they brought when facing UVa at home the past few seasons.
For UVa, no player had more than 14 points, but four were in double figures in one of the more balanced attacks of the season. De'Andre Hunter, after playing only six minutes against Boston
College and missing two shots and turning the ball over twice, scored 14 to lead the Cavaliers. He made 5 of his 8 field goals and went 2 for 4 on 3-pointers. Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy each scored 13 points and each made three 3s. Finally, Devon Hall, who did not have a good offensive game against BC, went for 12 points and also had seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Jerome had five assists and two steals. Guy recorded three assists and a steal. Isaiah Wilkins didn't have a great game on offense, but finished with two points, six rebounds, two blocks, and three steals. Virginia finished with nine steals and four blocks. The other two blocks came on the same Tech possession when Jack Salt denied Tech's Justin Robinson in the lane twice. Mamadi Diakite had one of his best offensive games, making 4 of his 5 shots and scoring nine points while also adding a rebound, an assist, and a steal. There was a pretty cool moment after the game in the Virginia locker room when Bennett announced he was giving former walk-on Justice Bartley, a junior, a scholarship this season. His teammates began dousing him with water to celebrate. You can watch that video here, and Bartley actually made a 3 when he was in at the end of the game.
It was that kind of night for UVa, where seemingly everything went its way. Now, the Cavaliers must turn their attention from one rival to another as UNC visits JPJ on Saturday. Here's a look at this year's Tar Heels.
Record: 12-3, 1-1 ACC
Scorers in double figures: Junior forward Luke Maye (18.1), senior guard Joel Berry II (17.9), junior guard Kenny Williams (12.8), senior guard Cameron Johnson (10.5)
Leading rebounders: Maye (10.5), Johnson (5.3), senior forward Theo Pinson (5.1), freshman forward Sterling Manley (4.9), freshman forward Garrison Brooks (4.7)
Assist leaders: Pinson (4.5), Berry (3), Maye (2.4), Williams (2.3)
Notable: Pinson averages nine points. Brooks and Manley each average six points. Berry and Williams each average one steal. Maye averages one block.
Best win: at then-No. 20 Tennessee, 78-73, on Dec. 17
Worst win: 85-75 over Davidson in Charlotte on Dec. 1
Other wins: Northern Iowa, Bucknell, Stanford, Portland, Arkansas, Michigan, Tulane, Western Carolina, Ohio State, Wake Forest
Best loss: at No. 24 Florida State, 81-80, on Wednesday
Worst loss: at home against Wofford, 79-75, on Dec. 21
Other loss: against then-No. 4 Michigan State, 63-45, in Portland, Ore., on Nov. 27
What North Carolina does well: Like recent UNC teams, these Tar Heels like to get up and down the court quickly and score. The Tar Heels average 84.9 points (25th in the country) and shoot 38.9 percent on 3-pointers (52nd). They are also great at rebounding once again, average 44 per game (third) and a margin of +12.1 (third). They also dish out 18 assists per game (16th).
What North Carolina doesn't do well: Though certainly not bad, UNC doesn't shoot as well overall as it does on 3s, at 46.7 percent (99th). The Heels also are at 71.7 percent from the line (147th). They are allowing 72.3 ppg (tied-189th), and though their overall field goal percentage defense is pretty
good at 40.9 percent (66th), they are allowing opponents to make 37.4 percent of their shots from beyond the arc (294th). Their defense only averages five steals (tied-304th).
It's hard not to feel confident about this game after coming off a blowout road victory. Virginia has beaten North Carolina four straight times at home, including last year when UVa strangled UNC with its defense to win, 53-43, just nine days after the Tar Heels clobbered the 'Hoos in Chapel Hill, 65-41. That UNC team went on to win the national championship over Gonzaga, but the Heels lost Justin Jackson, Isaiah Hicks, Kennedy Meeks, and Tony Bradley off the roster. UNC has struggled a little bit this year, with no game being more telling than its home loss to Wofford.
At the same time, you can look at it this way. Carolina is 12-3, and we know with a little more focus, it probably would've beaten Wofford. Other than a one-point loss at Florida State, which could happen to UVa later this season, UNC's only other loss came to Michigan State, which is defeating most of its opponents quite easily. I think with UNC's schedule so far, UVa would have at least one more loss.
Maye is one of the most improved players in the ACC this year. He was a role player who became more known during the tournament last season, and now, he is averaging a double-double. He's shooting 45.5 percent from 3, and at 6-foot-8, that could cause an issue for UVa. Berry is shooting 36.4 percent from 3, and Williams (46.3) and Johnson (43.8) can really stroke it, too. Johnson is a 6-8 Pittsburgh transfer who scored 16 points and made 4 of 5 3-pointers in a victory over UVa last year. The ability of two tall guys being able to shoot like that worries me a little bit, but hopefully Wilkins is up to the task, and Diakite and Hunter could factor in, too, since they have length. Rebounding, as it always is against the Heels, will be very important since UNC creates a lot of offense from second-chance opportunities. Tech actually outrebounded Virginia, 33-31, and this hasn't been one of the better rebounding UVa teams, so it might need to put in extra work to accomplish this goal Saturday. Wilkins is just 6-7, but we know he will work harder than pretty much anyone to try to get the basketball.
Like fans, the team could get overconfident after easily dispatching Tech, but I think Bennett is usually good at guarding against that. Virginia could be in store for a letdown if that occurs. But it is UNC, the name on the jersey matters, and the Tar Heels are the defending national champions. That should excite the players and get them ready. The home crowd will be rocking, no doubt, and signs that give UNC a hard time for its academic scandal that turned into no punishment from the NCAA will definitely be visible. If UVa can get a few shots to fall and brings its normal intensity, I think the Cavaliers should win, but I can see it being close.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 1-5 points.
The Cavaliers, in somewhat surprising fashion, completely dominated the Hokies on Wednesday in Blacksburg, giving a vintage performance and seemingly an endless "Cavalanche" in the second half to win, 78-52. The game reminded me a bit of a couple from 2013-14, Virginia's breakout year under Tony Bennett, when UVa completely overwhelmed a few foes, and teams were scrambling to find answers to what Virginia was doing. That hasn't happened as often recently as ACC coaches have begun to figure out how to play more competitively against the Cavaliers, but it does still happen from time to time. Wednesday was one of those nights. It was surprising, though, because I, for one, was expecting a close Virginia Tech win. But the Hokies, normally a hot offensive team, were bad on that end, taking many quick shots that rebounded into the hands of the more in-position Cavaliers, and were shredded on defense in the half court and when they pressed the 'Hoos. They also seemed to lack some of the fire they brought when facing UVa at home the past few seasons.
For UVa, no player had more than 14 points, but four were in double figures in one of the more balanced attacks of the season. De'Andre Hunter, after playing only six minutes against Boston
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| Nigel Johnson and the Cavaliers made it that kind of night for Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Hokies. |
It was that kind of night for UVa, where seemingly everything went its way. Now, the Cavaliers must turn their attention from one rival to another as UNC visits JPJ on Saturday. Here's a look at this year's Tar Heels.
Record: 12-3, 1-1 ACC
Scorers in double figures: Junior forward Luke Maye (18.1), senior guard Joel Berry II (17.9), junior guard Kenny Williams (12.8), senior guard Cameron Johnson (10.5)
Leading rebounders: Maye (10.5), Johnson (5.3), senior forward Theo Pinson (5.1), freshman forward Sterling Manley (4.9), freshman forward Garrison Brooks (4.7)
Assist leaders: Pinson (4.5), Berry (3), Maye (2.4), Williams (2.3)
Notable: Pinson averages nine points. Brooks and Manley each average six points. Berry and Williams each average one steal. Maye averages one block.
Best win: at then-No. 20 Tennessee, 78-73, on Dec. 17
Worst win: 85-75 over Davidson in Charlotte on Dec. 1
Other wins: Northern Iowa, Bucknell, Stanford, Portland, Arkansas, Michigan, Tulane, Western Carolina, Ohio State, Wake Forest
Best loss: at No. 24 Florida State, 81-80, on Wednesday
Worst loss: at home against Wofford, 79-75, on Dec. 21
Other loss: against then-No. 4 Michigan State, 63-45, in Portland, Ore., on Nov. 27
What North Carolina does well: Like recent UNC teams, these Tar Heels like to get up and down the court quickly and score. The Tar Heels average 84.9 points (25th in the country) and shoot 38.9 percent on 3-pointers (52nd). They are also great at rebounding once again, average 44 per game (third) and a margin of +12.1 (third). They also dish out 18 assists per game (16th).
What North Carolina doesn't do well: Though certainly not bad, UNC doesn't shoot as well overall as it does on 3s, at 46.7 percent (99th). The Heels also are at 71.7 percent from the line (147th). They are allowing 72.3 ppg (tied-189th), and though their overall field goal percentage defense is pretty
It's hard not to feel confident about this game after coming off a blowout road victory. Virginia has beaten North Carolina four straight times at home, including last year when UVa strangled UNC with its defense to win, 53-43, just nine days after the Tar Heels clobbered the 'Hoos in Chapel Hill, 65-41. That UNC team went on to win the national championship over Gonzaga, but the Heels lost Justin Jackson, Isaiah Hicks, Kennedy Meeks, and Tony Bradley off the roster. UNC has struggled a little bit this year, with no game being more telling than its home loss to Wofford.
At the same time, you can look at it this way. Carolina is 12-3, and we know with a little more focus, it probably would've beaten Wofford. Other than a one-point loss at Florida State, which could happen to UVa later this season, UNC's only other loss came to Michigan State, which is defeating most of its opponents quite easily. I think with UNC's schedule so far, UVa would have at least one more loss.
Maye is one of the most improved players in the ACC this year. He was a role player who became more known during the tournament last season, and now, he is averaging a double-double. He's shooting 45.5 percent from 3, and at 6-foot-8, that could cause an issue for UVa. Berry is shooting 36.4 percent from 3, and Williams (46.3) and Johnson (43.8) can really stroke it, too. Johnson is a 6-8 Pittsburgh transfer who scored 16 points and made 4 of 5 3-pointers in a victory over UVa last year. The ability of two tall guys being able to shoot like that worries me a little bit, but hopefully Wilkins is up to the task, and Diakite and Hunter could factor in, too, since they have length. Rebounding, as it always is against the Heels, will be very important since UNC creates a lot of offense from second-chance opportunities. Tech actually outrebounded Virginia, 33-31, and this hasn't been one of the better rebounding UVa teams, so it might need to put in extra work to accomplish this goal Saturday. Wilkins is just 6-7, but we know he will work harder than pretty much anyone to try to get the basketball.
Like fans, the team could get overconfident after easily dispatching Tech, but I think Bennett is usually good at guarding against that. Virginia could be in store for a letdown if that occurs. But it is UNC, the name on the jersey matters, and the Tar Heels are the defending national champions. That should excite the players and get them ready. The home crowd will be rocking, no doubt, and signs that give UNC a hard time for its academic scandal that turned into no punishment from the NCAA will definitely be visible. If UVa can get a few shots to fall and brings its normal intensity, I think the Cavaliers should win, but I can see it being close.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 1-5 points.
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