Last year, UVA basketball fans lost their collective minds over the Cavaliers’ dream season, which included the team’s first ACC regular season title and tournament championship in nearly 30 years, and an impressive run in the NCAA Tournament that ended in a heartbreaking loss to Michigan State in the Sweet 16. This year, fans’ love affair with Coach Tony Bennett and the team is only burning more brightly after the Cavaliers again clinched the ACC regular season title following a victory Monday night over Syracuse. Despite their success, the Cavs have dealt with criticism that their defensive style of play is “boring,” overcome injuries to key players including Justin Anderson, who broke his pinky February 7, and London Perrantes, who broke his nose in a collision with teammate Malcolm Brogdon on February 22, and kept on playing when he broke it a second time a week later. These guys have grit and grace. Is this the year they’ll go all the way?
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