After Friday’s historical upset to UMBC, Tony Bennett and Virginia will again be questioned that their style of play is not conducive to success in March. Part Forde of yahoo went so far as to call Virginia basketball a complete fraud. Ok Let’s be clear Virginia basketball is not a fraud. You don’t win in a premier league like the ACC with all their Hall of Fame coaches and to suddenly have a fraud of program. That’s shortsighted and just plain wrong.
Virginia has had some ill-timed March injuries that have contributed to their March failures, but that doesn’t explain it all away. Tony Bennett is one of the best coaches in the country. Eventually he’ll get Virginia to the Final 4 if he stays, but he’s going to have to make some at least minor stylistic chances. Some Virginia fans get awfully defensive about this, but it needs to happen. Bennett doesn’t have to overhaul his entire system either. There are plenty of examples…
But Dean was too controlling to win in March, until he did. K’s teams were too soft to win, until they did. Syracuse couldn’t win playing zone, until they did. Cal couldn’t win with one and dones until he did. Just have to keep giving yourself chances.
— Jim Young (@RealJimYoung) March 17, 2018
I think you’re right. A tweak to speed up UVA’s offense might be necessary. Not an overhaul just a tweak
— James Cunningham (@JamesIV1978) March 17, 2018
There is a very recent blueprint to look to for Virginia to make these tweaks. Bennett only needs to look to Wisconsin’s recent Final 4 teams.
I point to Wisconsin as the closet comparison to Uva… repeated ncaa failures until they had better depth and players the caliber of Hayes and frank kaminsky. Never had to change completly the core of what they were.
— Jeff or Jeffrey Fann (@TalkinACCSports) March 17, 2018
Bo Ryan made the NCAAs 12 straight years at Wisconsin and had 6 25+ win seasons without a Final 4. His two Final 4 teams in 2015 and 2016 averaged 72.5 and 73.5 points a game. That was the highest of Bo Ryan’s career at Wisconsin, but he never changed the core of his deliberate offense. Tony Bennett’s highest scoring team averaged 71 points a games in 2015-2016, which by the way was the year the Hoos went the furthest (Elite 8) in the NCAA Tournament. Stats were pulled from SportsReference.com
Ryan also simply started getting better players. Frank Kaminsky was a 6 foot 11 matchup nightmare for teams. He was a national player of the year and a first round NBA pick. Nigel Hayes is in the NBA. Sam Dekker was 5 star player out of high school and another NBA first round pick. Several other players from those teams are in the NBA developmental league.
Are there any future 1st rounders on Virginia’s roster? Any players the caliber of Frank Kaminsky? What about Sam Dekker? Dekker was 6 foot 7 and as said a 1st round pick.
It’s a shame one game will define an otherwise great season at Virginia, but that’s what happens with this kind of once in a lifetime upset.
How about a UVA fans perspective? No one knows their team like a fan, and Mike Lewis is a Virginia fan I have a lot of respect for.
Adopt UW’s system? Is writer aware UVA has 4-star clone of Kaminsky in Jay Huff, 7-1 w/ 3 pt range? Tony tweaked adding quick guard in Johnson & incoming recruit. Kihei Clark, very quick PG/can score. Francesco Badocci, a long 3/4 w/ 3 pt. range. UVA is not a finished product!
— Mike Lewis (@Mikeysurf) March 17, 2018
Don’t write the Hoos off just yet…
