If the past month has been any indication, the Virginia men's basketball team would love to have Maryland as its first-round opponent tomorrow. However, the result of Virginia's losing seven in a row before last Sunday's besting of the Terrapins is a bittersweet reward: they don't have to play Maryland.
"Maryland is a tremendous team, and to beat them twice in one year is special," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said.
Sunday's victory was clearly special for Virginia, conjuring memories of the past two seasons' home victories over 2001 NCAA Champion Duke (21-6,11-5), the No. 12 opponent whom the Cavaliers (15-14,6-10 ACC) will face in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
Both victories in previous years share a common characteristic: they occurred during seasons in which the Cavaliers' inconsistencies cost them dearly. Both years, it was Virginia's habit of playing to match the opposition that caused a stir. They impressed at times during the regular season, but failed to advance in the postseason.
This year may be different, but only if the Cavaliers can reign in the often-elusive chemistry that has proven effective in securing Virginia victories.
It is never too late for lineup changes, and there is warranted speculation that little-used senior center Jason Rogers will see more time on the court. Rogers contributed the most explosive effort of his career in his final contest at U-Hall on Sunday. While his performance stirred Virginia fans, it also put his name on the tip of tongues throughout the ACC.
Another key to Virginia victory will be consistency across the floor. From the dominant inside presence of senior center Travis Watson, the Cavaliers' leading scorer and rebounder, to the perimeter accuracy of junior guard Todd Billet and sophomore guard Devin Smith, there will need to be stability throughout. The Cavaliers have had nights where the offense and defense have flowed from all cylinders, but those nights have been few and far between.
What may be more complex is solving the puzzle of Duke. In both contests between the conference foes, the Cavaliers have been unable to find an answer for freshman guard J.J. Redick. Redick poses a three-point threat, having dropped a total of 59 points on the Cavaliers in the Blue Devils' sweep of Virginia, including a career-high 34 on January 15.
The Cavaliers have also had difficulty containing forward Dahntay Jones and guard Daniel Ewing, a player who has sparked the Duke bench in both contests.
Thanks to Sunday's victory, whether or not the Cavaliers need this win to secure a spot in the NIT Tournament is still uncertain. But the players and Gillen know that Virginia cannot go into Friday's challenge with an attitude of contentment.
"We're trying to win the game," Billet said. "We're not going to be satisfied with a moral victory to play Duke. We want to win the first round, in the semis, and go to the finals and that's the goal of this team."
To achieve these goals Cavaliers must take advantage of their fresh start and be hungry to move beyond past inconsistencies. They have found ways to uncover the Achilles heels of ACC opponents before, and tomorrow they will look for ways to mimic those sweeter performances.
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