COLLEGE PARK, Md.-When a team goes 7-1 in the conference at home but drops six of eight on the road, the numbers don't lie.
As the Virginia men's basketball team travels to Atlanta this weekend for the ACC tournament, their dismal road record pinpoints an aspect of the Cavaliers' game in need of some serious attention. Though Virginia, 14-1 at home, proved itself capable of winning games in a friendly environment, they won't be returning to University Hall's floor until next season.
Riding high on a four-game winning streak that included victories over No. 3 Duke and No. 2 North Carolina, Virginia entered Saturday's game against Maryland in a seemingly perfect position to beat the Terrapins. It was an opportunity for the Cavaliers to solidify their season with a road victory and enter postseason play on a high note. With a win, Virginia would not only finish the season No. 3 in the ACC but also move one step closer to securing a high seed in the NCAAs.
But in front of a hostile Maryland crowd that lit up the volume meter on their senior day, the Cavaliers, as in previous road games, came up very short. In what Virginia coach Pete Gillen called a "national execution," Maryland annihilated Virginia on both ends of the court to the pretty tune of 102-67.
In 40 minutes, Virginia never found an offensive rhythm. In its previous four victories, Virginia had at least four players in double digits. But Saturday, only junior forward Chris Williams and sophomore guard Roger Mason Jr. made the mark.
And on the defensive end, the Cavaliers allowed Maryland to shoot a monstrous 62.3 percent, rack up an impressive 27 assists. In the end, Maryland's game was the one Virginia had wanted to be playing.
It was a very different matchup than the one on Jan. 31 when the Cavaliers thrashed Maryland, 99-78. In that meeting, Virginia was on fire with six players in double digits and 52.9 percent shooting. It was a different game and the difference lies in location.
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"Basketball is basketball," Mason insisted. Playing on the road "shouldn't make that big of a difference. But we play differently on the road."
Mason's assertion certainly is idealistic. Even the best teams falter on the road from time to time. Of the nation's top five teams, four - Duke, Michigan State, North Carolina, and Illinois - have fallen on the road.
But Virginia has done it frequently and badly in the ACC. It allowed its six opponents an average of 90 points a game and fell by a miserable average of 20.5 points. And its ACC road wins? They've come only over lowly Florida State and Clemson.
"We've won some big games," Gillen said. "But we haven't beaten a top 20 team on the road."
If Virginia expects to get far in the postseason, it's time to address the problem.
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