Junior forward Mamadi Diakite got it done on both ends of the floor. He had a game-high 14 points and tied for a game-high with 9 rebounds.
After last year’s “shocker of all shockers” – No. 16 UMBC taking down No. 1 Virginia in the NCAA Tournament – the Cavaliers came out and showed history wouldn’t be repeated as they defeated Gardner-Webb in the opening round.
Standing in Virginia’s way to getting through to the next weekend are its 16-seed opponent Friday, Gardner-Webb, and two at-large teams from Power Five conferences — No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 8 Ole Miss.
With so many early exits in past seasons, I think Virginia has the ultimate chip on their shoulder. They know they have come up short and have not reached their potential.
Bennett has created a winning program in Charlottesville that doesn’t just contain NBA talent, but develops it.
Hunter has stepped up as a leader this year, and he has met the challenge, despite obstacles.
This is a good draw for the Cavaliers. If they can dictate the pace and establish offensive rhythm, the sky’s the limit for Virginia in March.
As March Madness approaches, the Cavalier Daily sports staff takes a look at some superlatives for the Virginia men’s basketball team in the Big Dance.
It’s March and your friends want you to fill out a March Madness bracket. You have no idea what you’re doing.
With a chance to play in the ACC Tournament final on the line, No. 2 Virginia fell to No. 12 Florida State. The 10-point win for the Seminoles (27-6) spoiled the Cavaliers’ (29-3) hopes of repeating as regular season and tournament champions in the ACC.
In the quarterfinal round of the ACC Tournament, top-seeded Virginia picked up a 76-56 win over NC State to advance to the semifinals.
Sophomore forward De’Andre Hunter and junior guard Kyle Guy were All-ACC First Team selections, while junior guard Ty Jerome was named to the All-ACC Second Team.
Sophomore forward De’Andre Hunter became the fourth Virginia player in the last five years to be named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
As the No. 1 seed, the Cavaliers received the double bye and will not play until Thursday afternoon. They come into the tournament as one of the favorites, but their path will be anything but easy in a loaded ACC field.
Virginia Coach Tony Bennett was named ACC Coach of the Year Monday. It was his second consecutive year winning the award, and the fourth time in six years.
The No. 2 Virginia men’s basketball team concluded its regular season Saturday with a 73-68 win over Louisville (19-12, 10-8 ACC), guaranteeing the Cavaliers (28-2, 16-2 ACC) the ACC regular season title.
Out of all the former Cavaliers in the NBA, Mike Scott was most impressive this week. His 22 point showing Saturday against Golden State was the highlight of the week.
Now loaded with scoring options, Bennett has arguably his best offense ever at his fingertips.
Behind stunning three-point shooting, No. 2 Virginia picked up a road win over Syracuse, 79-53. The Cavaliers (27-2, 15-2 ACC) tied a school record with 18 threes as they topped the Orange (19-11, 10-8 ACC) Monday night.
The Cavaliers (26-2, 14-2 ACC) cruised past the Panthers (12-17, 2-14 ACC) behind strong outings from junior guards Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy and sophomore guard De’Andre Hunter.
