I like to think about Virginia Basketball as a extremely slow moving work-in-progress. Like building the Landmark Hotel downtown. Looking back and understanding your history is important, especially if you don’t care to repeat it. The Hoos don’t have much positivity in their past yearbooks. Virginia has been to the Final Four twice (1981,1984). They lost both times in the opening game. Virginia has won the NIT (1980, 1992). Yep, the Hoos have even won one ACC Tournament championship in 1976. Not exactly a perennial contender, are they?
Back to present time of UVA hoops as the team battles back from the depths of depravity known as their last season and tries to get back in to the holy-grail of college basketball: the NCAA Tournament. A couple of questions banging around in my head:
1-Can Virginia get in the the filed of 65 this year? Not this year in my opinion. They are still one year away. Two big losses, both in overtime at home to VT and Wake have pretty much sealed their fate. Virginia is also hurt by the fact that the ACC stinks this season and most likely the NCAA will only take 4-5 ACC teams this season. I’d love to see the Hoos get to the Final Four of the NIT at Madison Square Garden in NYC and win the whole damn thing. Much more of a possibility then Virginia winning the ACC Tournament this season. Although, it’s gonna be a crazy tournament this March as who knows who will win. Hell, how awesome would it be for Virginia to the downtrodden and whiny Tarheels in the championship game of the NIT on April 1?
2- Can Sylven Landesberg learn how to play defense, and will he come back to Virginia next season? Sure, Sylven is a bright, well adjusted kid who is possibly the best offense player we have seen in Charlottesville since Bryant Stith. He enjoys college and certainly has a great deal of upside. But his defense has cost Virginia tons of points in the transition-game. He sometimes gets lost running back on D after thrilling us with an amazing drive to the hoop. Tony Bennett’s pack-line defense is complicated and difficult to learn. But it’s not rocket science and he should be a better defender than he is. I think that he will come back next year because he needs to be able to shoot the three better to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft. He needs to be more of a complete player since he is only 6-6 and not 6-10.
3- Who will emerge to become the go-to third option on this team every night? We all know Landesberg and Scott are the 1-2 punch on this team, but for Virginia to have a chance of making the big dance they really need a consistent third option. Jerome has been that guy on a few occasions, so has Zeglinski as well as Jeff Jones. But Virginia needs a consistent third-option every night to get back on track in the mediocre ACC this year.
4- Why is Virginia so much better than last season with pretty much the same players? Coaching. Pure and simple. Tony Bennett was a steal of a hire for Littlepage and he just fits this University. I have been to closed-door practices with both coaches and Bennett is awesome. And so are his assistants. There is also something to be said for a new coach coming in and not having any preconceived notions about any of the players. New regime, new strength and conditioning program, and a whole new attitude. I just wish Tunji and Mamadi were still here to play for Bennett.
5- Can Virginia keep Bennett here as coach for the next contract? I sure hope so. Tony has young children and moving kids around the country gets awfully hard on a family. But you got to think that Calipari will leave Kentucky (either on probation or for the NBA, or both), and Pitino will bolt Louisville for greener pastures. Hell, even Carolina and Duke’s jobs might be open at some point in the near future. And we all know that those four jobs are much more attractive than the one here in Charlottesville. Virginia has made several high-profile coaching contract mistakes that they are still paying for. Will Virginia screw this one up to? Go Hoos!
