Thursday, Mamadi Diakite tweeted:
In addition to the cloudiness still surrounding what Diakite is going to choose to do, there's an impending decision to come from reclassified 2019 five-star guard Johnny Juzang, who put Virginia
in his group of final four schools last weekend with Kentucky, Oregon, and Kansas. Juzang, from California, appears headed to Kentucky, but fans will know soon, and maybe he will surprise Wahoo Nation. Also, the Hauser brothers, Joey and Sam, the Marquette transfers, will visit Virginia in a couple of weeks, so no one knows for sure what they will do. Though they'd have to sit out next season, they would have to take two scholarships, meaning that would affect any other potential transfers or late commitments Virginia could bring in.
In short, there is still enough uncertainty regarding what the team will look like, so I'd rather just wait until some of the dust settles before discussing the 2019-20 Cavaliers too much. Aren't we all still basking in the championship victory anyway? It hasn't even been a month yet. And actually, just realizing this, but I didn't even publish my lookahead for this past season till June 30.
So now is a good time to take a step back and look at what else is going on around the world of UVa sports.
Baseball: Unfortunately, the 'Hoos aren't playing much better than they were at this point last season, when they missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003. Virginia sits 27-20 overall and 10-14 in the ACC. In 2018, the team finished 29-25 and 12-18. Pitching has again been a bugaboo. The Cavaliers rank eighth in the conference in ERA. They are sitting at second in batting average, but the hits have not been timely, with the team ranked ninth in RBIs. Also like last season, close losses have plagued the team. Virginia is 4-7 in one-run games. In 2018, UVa lost 10 one-run contests.
Twelve teams make the ACC tournament, and right now, UVa looks like it will make it as the 11th squad. But a challenging home series is up next weekend against the ACC's top team, Louisville, which is 37-9 and 16-6. UVa is off this weekend while exams are taking place. After the series vs. the Cardinals, Virginia faces VCU at home before finishing the regular season in a three-game set at Virginia Tech, which is 24-22 and 7-17. The Cavaliers downed VCU in their most recent outing, 3-2 Tuesday in Richmond.
Men's lacrosse: For the second straight season, Virginia is in the ACC tournament final. The Cavaliers face Notre Dame today at 2 p.m. in Charlottesville. The 'Hoos defeated North Carolina, 14-13, in the semifinals in Chapel Hill last Saturday. The Fighting Irish edged Duke, 12-10. UVa sits at 12-3 and went 3-1 against ACC teams during the regular season, with the lone loss coming against nemesis Duke. The Blue Devils have now beaten the Cavaliers 11 straight times dating to the 2010 season.
In last season's final, Notre Dame won, 17-7. In the regular-season matchup this year, UVa defeated the Irish, 13-11, in Charlottesville in March. No matter what happens in the ACC championship, Virginia can expect to have a pretty high seed in the NCAA tournament. In 2018, Virginia lost to Loyola (Md.) in the first round, 14-12, in Baltimore.
Women's lacrosse: The Cavaliers lost to Syracuse, 12-10, in the ACC quarterfinals on April 24. They are 12-6 on the season and await their NCAA location and opponent, which will be revealed Sunday. Last year, Virginia lost, 15-12, to eventual national champion James Madison in Harrisonburg in the second round.
Men's tennis: The Cavaliers were not completely back to their dominant selves this season, but much closer. After going just 14-13 and losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament last year to Columbia, Virginia is 22-4 this season and went 10-2 in the ACC regular season. The Cavaliers lost to Wake Forest, 4-2, in the ACC tournament final, and then beat St. John's, 4-0, in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Charlottesville on Friday. The 'Hoos face South Carolina today at noon in the second round, also at home.
Last year was the first season without coach Brian Boland, who is now at Baylor. Virginia won four of five NCAA championships at the end of his tenure.
Women's tennis: Virginia is 18-8 after defeating Old Dominion, 4-2, in the NCAA first round in Columbia, S.C., on Friday. UVa takes on host South Carolina in the second round today at 9:30 a.m. The Gamecocks eliminated the Cavaliers in the second round last year.
Men's golf: The Cavaliers finished second, tied for their best finish, at the ACC championships at Old North State Club in New London, N.C., on April 20. Virginia recorded a three-day total of 842, while winner Georgia Tech posted an 827. The 842 was UVa's second-best mark at the ACC championships, trailing only last year's 822. Virginia has finished second at the ACC championships five times. Next up, the Wahoos will begin NCAA regional play at Stanford on May 13.
Women's golf: UVa finished fourth at the ACC championships at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. The Cavaliers tallied an 870, and champion Wake Forest recorded an 850. Virginia begins NCAA regional play Monday at Auburn.
No one knows for sure what he means. On the surface, it sounds like Diakite didn't receive a favorable outlook during his NBA draft declaration process, but he's ready to make the jump to the pros and prove scouts and talent evaluators wrong and remain in the draft. However, he could just be ready to come back to UVa and prove them wrong in that way, too, by having a really good senior season. Or he could actually mean it is time for the team to prove doubters wrong again. Since the Big Three are leaving, no one thinks UVa can make a serious run next season. Notice he didn't say time for "me" to prove them wrong. Whatever the case, he has until May 29 to withdraw from the draft and say he's coming back to Charlottesville.It’s time to prove people wrong again, just wait to see 😈— Mamadi Diakite (@_mdiakite) May 2, 2019
In addition to the cloudiness still surrounding what Diakite is going to choose to do, there's an impending decision to come from reclassified 2019 five-star guard Johnny Juzang, who put Virginia
 |
| Do you guys remember when Mamadi Diakite hit the shot to send the Elite Eight game against Purdue to OT? Of course you do. |
In short, there is still enough uncertainty regarding what the team will look like, so I'd rather just wait until some of the dust settles before discussing the 2019-20 Cavaliers too much. Aren't we all still basking in the championship victory anyway? It hasn't even been a month yet. And actually, just realizing this, but I didn't even publish my lookahead for this past season till June 30.
So now is a good time to take a step back and look at what else is going on around the world of UVa sports.
Baseball: Unfortunately, the 'Hoos aren't playing much better than they were at this point last season, when they missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003. Virginia sits 27-20 overall and 10-14 in the ACC. In 2018, the team finished 29-25 and 12-18. Pitching has again been a bugaboo. The Cavaliers rank eighth in the conference in ERA. They are sitting at second in batting average, but the hits have not been timely, with the team ranked ninth in RBIs. Also like last season, close losses have plagued the team. Virginia is 4-7 in one-run games. In 2018, UVa lost 10 one-run contests.
Twelve teams make the ACC tournament, and right now, UVa looks like it will make it as the 11th squad. But a challenging home series is up next weekend against the ACC's top team, Louisville, which is 37-9 and 16-6. UVa is off this weekend while exams are taking place. After the series vs. the Cardinals, Virginia faces VCU at home before finishing the regular season in a three-game set at Virginia Tech, which is 24-22 and 7-17. The Cavaliers downed VCU in their most recent outing, 3-2 Tuesday in Richmond.
Men's lacrosse: For the second straight season, Virginia is in the ACC tournament final. The Cavaliers face Notre Dame today at 2 p.m. in Charlottesville. The 'Hoos defeated North Carolina, 14-13, in the semifinals in Chapel Hill last Saturday. The Fighting Irish edged Duke, 12-10. UVa sits at 12-3 and went 3-1 against ACC teams during the regular season, with the lone loss coming against nemesis Duke. The Blue Devils have now beaten the Cavaliers 11 straight times dating to the 2010 season.
In last season's final, Notre Dame won, 17-7. In the regular-season matchup this year, UVa defeated the Irish, 13-11, in Charlottesville in March. No matter what happens in the ACC championship, Virginia can expect to have a pretty high seed in the NCAA tournament. In 2018, Virginia lost to Loyola (Md.) in the first round, 14-12, in Baltimore.
Women's lacrosse: The Cavaliers lost to Syracuse, 12-10, in the ACC quarterfinals on April 24. They are 12-6 on the season and await their NCAA location and opponent, which will be revealed Sunday. Last year, Virginia lost, 15-12, to eventual national champion James Madison in Harrisonburg in the second round.
Men's tennis: The Cavaliers were not completely back to their dominant selves this season, but much closer. After going just 14-13 and losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament last year to Columbia, Virginia is 22-4 this season and went 10-2 in the ACC regular season. The Cavaliers lost to Wake Forest, 4-2, in the ACC tournament final, and then beat St. John's, 4-0, in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Charlottesville on Friday. The 'Hoos face South Carolina today at noon in the second round, also at home.
Last year was the first season without coach Brian Boland, who is now at Baylor. Virginia won four of five NCAA championships at the end of his tenure.
Women's tennis: Virginia is 18-8 after defeating Old Dominion, 4-2, in the NCAA first round in Columbia, S.C., on Friday. UVa takes on host South Carolina in the second round today at 9:30 a.m. The Gamecocks eliminated the Cavaliers in the second round last year.
Men's golf: The Cavaliers finished second, tied for their best finish, at the ACC championships at Old North State Club in New London, N.C., on April 20. Virginia recorded a three-day total of 842, while winner Georgia Tech posted an 827. The 842 was UVa's second-best mark at the ACC championships, trailing only last year's 822. Virginia has finished second at the ACC championships five times. Next up, the Wahoos will begin NCAA regional play at Stanford on May 13.
Women's golf: UVa finished fourth at the ACC championships at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. The Cavaliers tallied an 870, and champion Wake Forest recorded an 850. Virginia begins NCAA regional play Monday at Auburn.
If you were anything like me, you didn't do your look ahead to next season so late last year because you didn't want to even think about UVA basketball for a long time. Not so this year!
ReplyDeletehaha that's a good point.
DeleteBut I did post my recap of the season in April, just about a month after "that."
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