The last time Virginia won a postseason game, senior forward Travis Watson was still in middle school.
The Cavaliers have fallen in their last 13 postseason games -- a streak that dates back to the 1995 NCAA tournament. Current coach Pete Gillen is winless in eight attempts, but he will try to right the ship when Virginia hosts Brown University in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament tonight at 7:30 at U-Hall.
"Before I got here, it was three years that they hadn't won so we're certainly a big part of it," Gillen said."Hopefully, we can change that. We lost in triple overtime to Georgetown in the NIT [in 2000, and] we lost by one to Gonzaga in the [2001] NCAA tournament. It's frustrating, but I just have to coach a little bit better, and we have to work a little harder."
This will be the second straight NIT appearance for Virginia and the third in four years. Last year, they fell at home to South Carolina, 74-67.
"The NIT is just another tournament," Watson said. "It's not a bad tournament. It's not the dance, but it's another opportunity to play before my career ends."
The Cavaliers will face an upstart Brown team (17-11, 12-2 Ivy) that set a school record for Ivy League wins. The Bears finished second in the conference and also tied a school record set last year for total wins, but they have the lowest RPI of any team in the NIT. They are 14-2 in their last 16 games, rallying from a 1-7 start.
The Bears are led by three first-team All-Ivy selections in senior guard Earl Hunt, senior forward Alai Nuualiitia and sophomore guard Jason Forte.
Hunt led the league in scoring for the third straight season, and the three-time All-Ivy selection is fourth in league history with 2030 career points. Nuualiitia shot 62 percent from the field to lead the league in field goal percentage for the third straight year. Forte, the younger brother of former UNC star Joseph Forte, has excelled of late, scoring 56 points in the Bears' last two games. He finished second in the Ivy in assists and steals.
The Cavaliers are coming off an 83-76 loss to eventual conference champion Duke in the first round of the ACC tournament. Despite 19 points from sophomore forward Devin Smith and 15 second-half points from classmate Elton Brown, Duke guard Daniel Ewing proved too much in the end. The tournament MVP torched the Cavaliers for 32 points to send the Cavs home.
"He was the difference in the game today," Virginia junior guard Todd Billet said after the game. "He really stepped up and hit a lot of big shots. You can't say enough about him."
The Devils forced six early second-half turnovers to spur a 16-5 run that forced the Cavaliers to play catch-up in the late stages of the game. Virginia committed 19 total turnovers.
"Our kids thought we could win, but we couldn't break them down off the dribble when their great athletes smothered us," Gillen said. "We didn't have a counter to their pressure."
This will be only the second meeting between Brown and Virginia, who first met at U-Hall 16 years ago with Virginia claiming a 92-70 win.
The game will not be televised and admission is $4 to students. Should Virginia win, they will face the winner of St. John's and Boston University at a site to be determined.
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