Yesterday, in its decisive 86-66 victory over No. 2 North Carolina, the Virginia men's basketball team proved that, at least on a basketball court, no man can stand alone.
As the game's plot unraveled, it was clear that two very different teams were vying for the win.
The Tar Heel hopes lay on the backs of national standouts Joseph Forte and Brendan Haywood, who combined for a whopping 48 of the team's 66 points.
Virginia, on the other hand, garnered double-digit efforts from all five starters.
Easy math as it is, the deciding factor of the game is easily identified.
"We try to share the ball, and we don't have one star," Virginia coach Pete Gillen explained. "We have five or six terrific players but we don't have one superstar. The strength of our team is balance."
It certainly was a package deal.
The athleticism came from junior forward and defensive specialist Adam Hall who again exhibited his gravity-defying leaps.
The courage came from sophomore center Travis Watson who, despite battling injuries, put up his 12th double-double of the season.
The leadership came from guards Donald Hand and Roger Mason who combined for 35 points and 9 assists.
The fortitude came from junior forward Chris Williams who did it all - 13 points, nine rebounds, four steals and two blocks - in the simple style that earns him the nickname "Silent Assassin."
As a team, Virginia boasted strong perimeter defense, successful free-throw shooting and unselfish play.
For Carolina, the team dynamic couldn't be more dissimilar.
Forte and Haywood's 72.7 percent piece of the scoring pie kept the Tar Heels in the game for a while. But after cutting the second-half Virginia lead to 10, the Tar Heels were held scoreless in the final five minutes of play. Forte watched all four of his shots miss their mark and Haywood failed to convert on a short jumper.
"We had a total breakdown on offense," North Carolina coach Matt Doherty said of the final five minutes. "We didn't work as a team and when that happens, the ball ends up in Forte's hands, and Forte feels like he has to do it on his own. But Virginia's defense was too good for him to do it all by himself."
In the teams' first meeting on Jan. 24, Forte almost single-handily beat the Cavaliers after North Carolina blew a big second-half lead and allowed Virginia to come within two points. But Forte sank clutch shot after clutch shot to reestablish the Tar Heels' lead. He finished the game with 33 points.
Yesterday, however, Virginia's team effort proved too much for the disparate showings of the Carolina lineup.
"We had five guys in double figures," Gillen said. "I think I'd rather have that than just have one superstar."
It's a good plan.
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