A Cinderella story before the calendar ever read March, Miami (OH)’s undefeated regular season in the always-competitive MAC garnered national attention and some controversy too. Save for a sole loss to Massachusetts in their conference tournament, the Redhawks (32-2, 18-0 MAC) passed every test sent their way — defeating SMU in the First Four to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
And then they ran into No. 23 Tennessee — and that did not go well.
The six-seeded Volunteers (23-11, 11-7 SEC) trounced 11-seed Miami (OH) 78-56, holding them to their lowest scoring game all season. Senior guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie tallied 29 points and nine assists while Tennessee’s pair of bigs — senior center Felix Okpara and junior forward J.P. Estrella — combined for an added 26 points and 15 rebounds.
It was the Volunteers’ biggest margin of victory since December, a complete slaughter in Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa.
Now, Tennessee is No. 10 Virginia’s problem, the two historic programs colliding Sunday at 6:10 p.m. The three-seed Cavaliers (30-5, 15-3 ACC) are, at present, favored to lose that matchup after a scare against a hot Wright State squad that forced them to find a win in the final minutes of play.
Coach Rick Barnes’ Volunteers are a tough bunch — leading Division I in offensive rebounding rate, taking and making two-pointers at high volume and forcing misses from distance. The Redhawks, a top-15 team in three-point percentage, made only 24 percent of three-pointers Friday, being forced to take tough shots against a suffocating Tennessee defense.
Cavalier Coach Ryan Odom recognized that the size and athleticism of the Volunteers defense makes hunting both two- and three-pointers difficult, complimenting Barnes on building a team that plays in his “fiery” image.
“We have to make sure we're not settling for shots that are contested,” Odom said. “We have to make sure that we try to find our shots as best we can and feel the game. We won't know until we get in there, but at this time of year, you're not drastically changing things. You have to trust that your way is going to be the best way and tweak things within games.”
Possibly the most significant battle that will take place Sunday will be on the boards. Virginia started the season off as an incredibly consistent offensive rebounding team, but has been less consistent in that department in recent weeks, with six of its eight worst offensive rebounding games happening in February and March. The Volunteers, in turn, are the best offensive rebounding team in the country, and are a high level team on the defensive glass as well.
Graduate guard Dallin Hall said that Tennessee’s rebounding prowess will ask a lot of the entire Cavaliers roster, pointing to a few key things that Virginia will have to do to reach the Sweet Sixteen.
“They're very well-coached,” Hall said. “They play tremendously hard. They're physical — especially in the forward positions. So we’ve got to make sure we're up for the fight, bring the fight to them on the glass, and then find ways to neutralize Gillespie getting downhill and getting his shots.”
Gillespie, one of the best guards in college basketball, is the engine of the Volunteers’ offense. A pick and roll maestro who is adept at finding his bigs in the paint, Gillespie is a confident passer who uses his handle to get himself and others open. Tennessee averages 1.16 points per possession on plays where Gillespie runs the pick and roll, with an added 1.1 points per possession when he attacks the rim and kicks the ball to the exterior.
He also, alongside sophomore guard Bishop Boswell, makes up a starting backcourt that averages a combined 3.4 steals per game. The two attack passing lanes, forcing turnovers and tough perimeter shots.
With Gillespie and Boswell’s aggression forcing teams to shoot over Okpara — a confident and physical shotblocker — the biggest X-factor for Tennessee is freshman forward Nate Ament. The Virginia native is a 6-foot-10 wing with a neat handle and smooth jumpshot, but he has been plagued by minor injuries and inconsistency as he adapted to the SEC and its physicality.
The key for the Cavaliers, against a team that will force tough shots and likely have more possessions on the game, will be to find an early rhythm on offense and fight for defensive rebounds. Playing from behind against the Volunteers can be difficult, so staying in the game early as foul counts rise for Tennessee players and as shooters get confident will be crucial. Against the Volunteers’ rebounding, minimizing second possessions and getting the ball moving in transition will allow the offense to capitalize on an unset defense and keep the tempo in Virginia’s favor.
Should the Cavaliers win, it will travel to Chicago for the Sweet 16 to face one of No. 5 Iowa State and Kentucky. The two-seed Cyclones (28-7, 12-6 Big 12) defeated Tennessee State in their first-round matchup, while the seven-seed Wildcats (22-13, 10-8 SEC) took down Santa Clara in overtime for their first win.
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