Last year, a gifted and promising Virginia men's basketball team entered the season amidst high expectations, ranked No. 11 in both The Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN preseason polls. Cavalier fans waited in anticipation and excitement for a team that appeared primed for success.
But then, after opening competitive play with a 9-0 record, the Cavaliers began dropping games, went 8-10 for the remainder of the season and spiraled out of national rankings and NCAA postseason considerations. Despite possessing such key ingredients as natural athleticism, veteran leadership and promising new talent, the Cavaliers finished the season an unimpressive 17-12 (7-9 in the ACC), fell to N.C. State in the first round of the ACC Tournament and dropped their opening NIT Tournament match against South Carolina at University Hall.
What accounts for such failure and disappointment? Among the many criticisms the team faced, one resounded throughout the season.
Defense.
Or lack thereof.
"We were capable of playing better defense last year but we didn't do it," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said.
The Cavaliers may have razzled and dazzled fans with the occasional full-court press success, but just as often, opponents found gaping holes in the configuration and punished the Cavaliers accordingly. Virginia never found a consistently effective half-court set.
Virginia may have averaged 79.6 points per game but it allowed opponents 74.3. And that includes early games against the paltry and trivial likes of Charleston Southern which scored a mere 54 and East Tennessee State which finished with 62. Take teams like these out of the equation and the picture becomes clearer.
One need look no further than the March 3, 2002, regular season finale in College Park, Md., in which Virginia scored a whopping 92 points but still managed to lose. And not just lose. Lose by 20. Sure, the Terrapins went on to rock Atlanta and the day marked the final game at Cole Field House. But how does a team score 92 and still lose?
Defense. Or lack thereof.
Quite often, it's the little things, the unobserved details that determine the outcome of an individual game, that make or break a team's season -- not the flashy slam dunks, the monumental three-pointers or the frantic breakaway lay-ups, but the constant contesting of shots, the defensive rebounds or the effective responses to opponents' systems of picks and screens. These aspects of the game reside on the defensive end of the court and countless coaches have championed defensive prowess as the difference between success and failure, between good and great teams.
In 2001-2002, Virginia put up impressive offensive statistics but the season ended on a sour note. The absence of the little but fundamental things, the lack of the consistently unassuming but vital defensive showing, accounts for much of the team's disappointments.
This year, Virginia has again received preseason nods. It again boasts veteran star power and new talent. But if the Cavaliers expect to sidestep the problems that have plagued them in the past, they must focus on the half of the game they played so poorly throughout last season.
Early signs suggest that Virginia at least recognizes the need to address its defensive problems.
"We have to do better" on defense," Gillen affirmed. "Our players have to be committed to it.
In July, Virginia added defensive emphasis to the program by naming Rod Jensen, former head coach of Boise State University, a new assistant coach. Jensen has long enjoyed the reputation of being an effective defensive coach.
"I will be focusing more on the defensive end," Jensen confirmed. "We need to be better and more consistent in our halfcourt sets. Whether that means we'll play more zone or more man-to-man defense will be determined as the season unfolds."
If Virginia hopes to respond successfully to last year's disappointments and play up to expectations, the Cavaliers need to implement early on effective defensive configurations. They don't have to be flashy. They just have to work.
"I want to see more of a commitment to defense," Gillen said. "More pride and tenacity."
When exhibition play begins Nov. 10, observers will get their first look at the Virginia team in action. It's unlikely the Cavaliers will falter offensively against any of the season's initial competition, but it would serve them well to focus just as much energy at the other end of the court.
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