No. 10 Louisville at No. 22 Virginia, 4 p.m. ESPN
The Cavaliers wrap up the regular season today with a chance to avenge the only loss in their past 11 games when they host the Cardinals on senior day.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it has been awesome for Kyle Guy, De'Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, and Jack Salt to visit Charlottesville and take in games as champions. But this will be the first senior class that has gotten to experience and play an entire season and now senior day as NCAA champions. And while Virginia may not be able to defend its title this season -- who knows, though?? -- every senior day for the next few years (barring early attrition or NBA draft departures) will include someone that has won an NCAA title in his career. How awesome is that?
Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key take their final bows at John Paul Jones Arena, and they don't just own championship rings -- they both were key factors during the Cavaliers' run to the championship last season.
No one is ever going to forget Diakite being the back half of "The Play" against Purdue, which sent the Elite Eight game to overtime. And then in the final against Texas Tech, Diakite played a very solid game, recording nine points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.
Key did not have a moment as memorable as Diakite's in the NCAA tournament, but he also was a major contributor against the Red Raiders. Key led all players with 10 rebounds, chipped in six points, and had one block, a potentially big one. Jarrett Culver had a look at a baseline 3 at the end of regulation, and Key was there to knock it away to ensure OT. Culver didn't make a 3 in the game, so chances are he was going to miss it, but we will never know, and Key made sure it wasn't going in.
Both players took very different paths to Charlottesville.
Diakite is from Guinea, a country in Africa. He played a lot more soccer than basketball growing up. Once he got to the states, he enrolled at the Blue Ridge School, just a short drive away from UVa in Greene County. Diakite is a fifth-year senior who has seen it all and been it all. His redshirt first year came in 2015-16, when he was mainly a fan during games. He saw a team led by the likes of Malcolm Brogdon and Anthony Gill get all the way to the Elite Eight and fall just short of getting to the Final Four. Even though he didn't play in games that season, I bet he felt and remembered the pain from that tough loss to Syracuse.
The next year, he was a role player, playing 14 minutes per game and averaging 3.3 points. We still didn't really see what he could become. Much like this season, the team struggled throughout the year
because of who it lost to graduation, but London Perrantes helped push the team to a No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament and a first-round victory over UNC Wilmington. This team does seem to be looking stronger heading into the Big Dance.
In 2017-18, Diakite played a bit more, 15.6 minutes per game, and averaged 5.4 points and 3 boards per game. He still didn't start any games, but there were a few more flashes of potential. Of course, he was part of the UMBC debacle, but unlike Devon Hall and Isaiah Wilkins, he had two more seasons to help right that wrong.
Last year, he broke out in a big way, starting 22 games while averaging 21.8 minutes, 7.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. In the NCAA tournament, he blossomed into the player he was going to be this season, averaging 10.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks across those six games.
After the season, he tested the NBA waters but decided to return, a smart move on his part. This year, he's shown all he's capable of as the go-to offensive player. With his now-trademark yellow hair, he's probably the star and most recognizable face on the team. He has started every game and is averaging 13.6 points, 6.7 boards, and 1.2 blocks. He's developed a solid 3-pointer, making 37 percent of his attempts. And he's a very good post defender. After games, he is entertaining and open in his comments.
Key, the nephew of Ralph Sampson (this actually seems to get less media play than I thought it would've), was recruited by Virginia out of Charlotte but decided to go to Alabama instead after Virginia landed Hunter. After two seasons, though, he made his way to Charlottesville to complete his final two years with the Cavaliers.
Key was deemed immediately eligible rather than having to sit out last year, and even though he wasn't the best player on the team, having a player of his caliber fit perfectly into his role was the kind of good fortune that helped complete that team and make it good enough to win a national championship. Key started six games and averaged 5.7 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds.
This year, Key is one of the team's leaders. He missed a few games after injuring his wrist but has started 24 while averaging 10 points and a team-leading 7.4 rebounds. He's recorded the worst 3-point shooting of his career at 19 percent, but his field goal percentage is his best yet at 53.0, meaning
he's been great inside the arc, though it still seems like he's always good for a miss or two around the rim. It also seems like he's constantly getting challenged at the rim, possibly fouled, and not getting a whistle. Key has the ability to defend big men and guards, making him versatile on defense.
It's been awesome watching both of these guys become such significant parts of the program. It'll be great seeing what they do after UVa and welcoming them back to JPJ from time to time. Hopefully the team can send them out the right way today.
Virginia has won on seven straight senior days/nights. The last time the Cavaliers lost one was in 2012 when they fell to Florida State, 63-60. Winning on not only an eighth straight senior day but an eighth straight game this season will be a challenge against the Cardinals.
Louisville is 24-6, 15-4, and tied for first in the ACC with Florida State. It was swept by FSU, though, so the Cardinals must top the Cavaliers and hope Boston College upsets the Seminoles in order to grab the regular-season championship outright and the ACC tourney No. 1 seed. Otherwise, with just a win over UVa, Louisville would share the crown and be the No. 2 seed. Of course, there are scenarios where various combos of Virginia, Duke, Louisville, and Florida State end up tied for first. In that case, each team that is tied would actually get to claim the title, but tiebreakers would be used to determine ACC tournament seeding. Virginia has to have Florida State lose at home against Boston College to share the title -- unlikely given that the Seminoles are undefeated at their place, but lots of crazy things have happened in college basketball this season.
In the first Virginia-Louisville matchup Feb. 8, Louisville came away with a hard-fought 80-73 win. The Cardinals' first six field goals were 3s and they got up by as many as 16 points before Virginia rallied to take a 72-70 lead with a few minutes left before falling short. Tomas Woldetensae hit seven 3s and scored 27 points, and Kihei Clark made four of his own and scored 23 points to ignite the Wahoos' rally. Louisville star Jordan Nwora hit four 3s and paced the Cardinals with 22 points. At the time, it looked like a missed opportunity -- but a sign of growth, especially for the offense -- as Virginia fought for wins to position itself as a viable NCAA tournament at-large candidate. But now, with the winning streak having reached seven and Virginia sitting at 22-7 and 14-5 in the conference, that point is moot. The 'Hoos are heading to the Big Dance. A victory today would just put a stamp on their late-season resurgence.
What has Louisville been up to since that first victory? The Cardinals came into that first meeting on a nine-game winning streak. Beating Virginia helped solidify them as the ACC favorite, and I thought it also looked like the Cardinals cleared a psychological hurdle, since they had many problems in the past defeating the Cavaliers. It signaled to me that this Louisville team was different.
However, down the stretch run of the season, Louisville dropped two games it probably shouldn't have as the ACC favorite. Since that win over UVa, the Cardinals are just 3-3, with the wins coming over UNC, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech at home, all by at least 16 points. The losses all came on the road against Georgia Tech (by six), Clemson (by 15), and Florida State (by 15). The Yellow Jackets
and Tigers aren't exactly a who's who in college basketball this season, though Clemson does have the win over Duke at home (but so does Wake Forest), and Georgia Tech has all of a sudden climbed into fifth place in the ACC. The Seminoles are perfect at home, so there's no shame in that loss, but it was a collapse of sorts for the Cardinals. They were up 40-32 at the half but got outscored in the second 50-27.
Virginia is listed as a 1.5-point favorite today on ESPN.com. While there are certainly some analysts and computers not that impressed by the Cavaliers' winning streak -- the seven games have been won by an average of 3.7 points -- it seems as though there are some bettors who believe in the 'Hoos. UVa needs to get its offense going to take down the Cardinals. Forty-six points, which is what Virginia scored against Miami, won't cut it. I don't think it will have to score 81 like it would've had to do at Louisville either, but getting to 60 would be a good start, something Virginia hasn't done in five games, when it scored 78 against BC.
Getting Woldetensae on track could really help the 'Hoos. He's hit just 3 of his past 17 3-pointers. Hopefully Clark can get another one or two 3s, and maybe the team can get a bonus trey from Kody Stattmann or Casey Morsell. Every 3 the 'Hoos got at Louisville came from Woldetensae and Clark. Knocking down some deep shots could go a long way toward advancing UVa from the low 50-point range to around 60 points or more.
Then of course there's Diakite and Key. As I mentioned, that pair has a senior day streak to keep alive. I have a good feeling both will play really good games offensively and defensively. The only thing I'd fear is Key taking too many 3s. They just haven't fallen for him this season outside of the Clemson game.
You could argue Virginia doesn't have a good chance if it is relying on 3-pointers to get over the hump and into the win column, since it took the 'Hoos 11 3s to get to 73 points in the first meeting, and there's a good chance that doesn't happen again. But I would say Louisville, which knocked down nine 3s at the KFC Yum! Center, is going to have a much harder time hitting the deep shot at JPJ. I think the combination of Virginia's defense being better and Louisville's offense not clicking as much will result in a lower point total for the Cardinals.
Let's keep the senior day tradition and the current winning streak going at the same time. I'm following Vegas. How can you not pick a close win at this point? It only seems natural. Senior day magic happens, and the 'Hoos pull it out.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 1-5 points.
The Cavaliers wrap up the regular season today with a chance to avenge the only loss in their past 11 games when they host the Cardinals on senior day.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it has been awesome for Kyle Guy, De'Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, and Jack Salt to visit Charlottesville and take in games as champions. But this will be the first senior class that has gotten to experience and play an entire season and now senior day as NCAA champions. And while Virginia may not be able to defend its title this season -- who knows, though?? -- every senior day for the next few years (barring early attrition or NBA draft departures) will include someone that has won an NCAA title in his career. How awesome is that?
Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key take their final bows at John Paul Jones Arena, and they don't just own championship rings -- they both were key factors during the Cavaliers' run to the championship last season.
No one is ever going to forget Diakite being the back half of "The Play" against Purdue, which sent the Elite Eight game to overtime. And then in the final against Texas Tech, Diakite played a very solid game, recording nine points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.
MARCH MADNESS IS THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD pic.twitter.com/TUQchKqswO— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 31, 2019
Key did not have a moment as memorable as Diakite's in the NCAA tournament, but he also was a major contributor against the Red Raiders. Key led all players with 10 rebounds, chipped in six points, and had one block, a potentially big one. Jarrett Culver had a look at a baseline 3 at the end of regulation, and Key was there to knock it away to ensure OT. Culver didn't make a 3 in the game, so chances are he was going to miss it, but we will never know, and Key made sure it wasn't going in.
Both players took very different paths to Charlottesville.
Diakite is from Guinea, a country in Africa. He played a lot more soccer than basketball growing up. Once he got to the states, he enrolled at the Blue Ridge School, just a short drive away from UVa in Greene County. Diakite is a fifth-year senior who has seen it all and been it all. His redshirt first year came in 2015-16, when he was mainly a fan during games. He saw a team led by the likes of Malcolm Brogdon and Anthony Gill get all the way to the Elite Eight and fall just short of getting to the Final Four. Even though he didn't play in games that season, I bet he felt and remembered the pain from that tough loss to Syracuse.
The next year, he was a role player, playing 14 minutes per game and averaging 3.3 points. We still didn't really see what he could become. Much like this season, the team struggled throughout the year
 |
| Forever NCAA champions. |
In 2017-18, Diakite played a bit more, 15.6 minutes per game, and averaged 5.4 points and 3 boards per game. He still didn't start any games, but there were a few more flashes of potential. Of course, he was part of the UMBC debacle, but unlike Devon Hall and Isaiah Wilkins, he had two more seasons to help right that wrong.
Last year, he broke out in a big way, starting 22 games while averaging 21.8 minutes, 7.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. In the NCAA tournament, he blossomed into the player he was going to be this season, averaging 10.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks across those six games.
After the season, he tested the NBA waters but decided to return, a smart move on his part. This year, he's shown all he's capable of as the go-to offensive player. With his now-trademark yellow hair, he's probably the star and most recognizable face on the team. He has started every game and is averaging 13.6 points, 6.7 boards, and 1.2 blocks. He's developed a solid 3-pointer, making 37 percent of his attempts. And he's a very good post defender. After games, he is entertaining and open in his comments.
Key, the nephew of Ralph Sampson (this actually seems to get less media play than I thought it would've), was recruited by Virginia out of Charlotte but decided to go to Alabama instead after Virginia landed Hunter. After two seasons, though, he made his way to Charlottesville to complete his final two years with the Cavaliers.
Key was deemed immediately eligible rather than having to sit out last year, and even though he wasn't the best player on the team, having a player of his caliber fit perfectly into his role was the kind of good fortune that helped complete that team and make it good enough to win a national championship. Key started six games and averaged 5.7 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds.
This year, Key is one of the team's leaders. He missed a few games after injuring his wrist but has started 24 while averaging 10 points and a team-leading 7.4 rebounds. He's recorded the worst 3-point shooting of his career at 19 percent, but his field goal percentage is his best yet at 53.0, meaning
 |
| Braxton Key and Mamadi Diakite were the first Cavaliers that got to go on an NCAA championship "season tour" of sorts. |
It's been awesome watching both of these guys become such significant parts of the program. It'll be great seeing what they do after UVa and welcoming them back to JPJ from time to time. Hopefully the team can send them out the right way today.
Virginia has won on seven straight senior days/nights. The last time the Cavaliers lost one was in 2012 when they fell to Florida State, 63-60. Winning on not only an eighth straight senior day but an eighth straight game this season will be a challenge against the Cardinals.
Louisville is 24-6, 15-4, and tied for first in the ACC with Florida State. It was swept by FSU, though, so the Cardinals must top the Cavaliers and hope Boston College upsets the Seminoles in order to grab the regular-season championship outright and the ACC tourney No. 1 seed. Otherwise, with just a win over UVa, Louisville would share the crown and be the No. 2 seed. Of course, there are scenarios where various combos of Virginia, Duke, Louisville, and Florida State end up tied for first. In that case, each team that is tied would actually get to claim the title, but tiebreakers would be used to determine ACC tournament seeding. Virginia has to have Florida State lose at home against Boston College to share the title -- unlikely given that the Seminoles are undefeated at their place, but lots of crazy things have happened in college basketball this season.
In the first Virginia-Louisville matchup Feb. 8, Louisville came away with a hard-fought 80-73 win. The Cardinals' first six field goals were 3s and they got up by as many as 16 points before Virginia rallied to take a 72-70 lead with a few minutes left before falling short. Tomas Woldetensae hit seven 3s and scored 27 points, and Kihei Clark made four of his own and scored 23 points to ignite the Wahoos' rally. Louisville star Jordan Nwora hit four 3s and paced the Cardinals with 22 points. At the time, it looked like a missed opportunity -- but a sign of growth, especially for the offense -- as Virginia fought for wins to position itself as a viable NCAA tournament at-large candidate. But now, with the winning streak having reached seven and Virginia sitting at 22-7 and 14-5 in the conference, that point is moot. The 'Hoos are heading to the Big Dance. A victory today would just put a stamp on their late-season resurgence.
What has Louisville been up to since that first victory? The Cardinals came into that first meeting on a nine-game winning streak. Beating Virginia helped solidify them as the ACC favorite, and I thought it also looked like the Cardinals cleared a psychological hurdle, since they had many problems in the past defeating the Cavaliers. It signaled to me that this Louisville team was different.
However, down the stretch run of the season, Louisville dropped two games it probably shouldn't have as the ACC favorite. Since that win over UVa, the Cardinals are just 3-3, with the wins coming over UNC, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech at home, all by at least 16 points. The losses all came on the road against Georgia Tech (by six), Clemson (by 15), and Florida State (by 15). The Yellow Jackets
Virginia is listed as a 1.5-point favorite today on ESPN.com. While there are certainly some analysts and computers not that impressed by the Cavaliers' winning streak -- the seven games have been won by an average of 3.7 points -- it seems as though there are some bettors who believe in the 'Hoos. UVa needs to get its offense going to take down the Cardinals. Forty-six points, which is what Virginia scored against Miami, won't cut it. I don't think it will have to score 81 like it would've had to do at Louisville either, but getting to 60 would be a good start, something Virginia hasn't done in five games, when it scored 78 against BC.
Getting Woldetensae on track could really help the 'Hoos. He's hit just 3 of his past 17 3-pointers. Hopefully Clark can get another one or two 3s, and maybe the team can get a bonus trey from Kody Stattmann or Casey Morsell. Every 3 the 'Hoos got at Louisville came from Woldetensae and Clark. Knocking down some deep shots could go a long way toward advancing UVa from the low 50-point range to around 60 points or more.
Then of course there's Diakite and Key. As I mentioned, that pair has a senior day streak to keep alive. I have a good feeling both will play really good games offensively and defensively. The only thing I'd fear is Key taking too many 3s. They just haven't fallen for him this season outside of the Clemson game.
You could argue Virginia doesn't have a good chance if it is relying on 3-pointers to get over the hump and into the win column, since it took the 'Hoos 11 3s to get to 73 points in the first meeting, and there's a good chance that doesn't happen again. But I would say Louisville, which knocked down nine 3s at the KFC Yum! Center, is going to have a much harder time hitting the deep shot at JPJ. I think the combination of Virginia's defense being better and Louisville's offense not clicking as much will result in a lower point total for the Cardinals.
Let's keep the senior day tradition and the current winning streak going at the same time. I'm following Vegas. How can you not pick a close win at this point? It only seems natural. Senior day magic happens, and the 'Hoos pull it out.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 1-5 points.
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