Random Thoughts on Virginia Basketball

At 3-0 in the conference and alone in first place, Virginia Basketball is starting to get some national recognition, namely from ESPN's Andy Katz.

After beating Miami handily, could Virginia could be 9-7 in the ACC and make the NCAA tournament? The Cavs already have three quality wins (UAB, Miami and Georgia Tech). The Cavs may only lose one home game (Duke) and could easily steal a road win at maybe BC later in the season. Tony Bennett is your leader in the clubhouse for ACC coach of the year.

Check out his Weekly Watch column for more good words.


The Roanoke Times also delivered some good press. Check out Aaron McFarling's recent column -- At UVA, Fun is Back in Style.


The thread finally surfaced on the CavsCorner "Hoos Next" board, but I had already been pondering the topic for a few days... What is UVA's MAGIC NUMBER to make the NCAA Tournament field of 65 this March? At 12-4, 3-0 and with 13 ACC games left to play (not including at least one game in the ACC tournament), I think we need to win seven more games down the stretch to get into the Big Dance. Doesn't matter when, doesn't matter against whom. Getting to 10-6 in the ACC pretty much assures us a spot. 9-7 or worse, not so much. 7-6 over the next 13 games gets it done, and the schedule is pretty darn favorable.


In fact, here are my predictions for the second half of Virginia's regular season schedule:

1/23 @ Wake Forest -- loss
1/28 Virginia Tech -- win
1/31 @ North Carolina -- loss
2/3 NC State -- win
2/6 Wake Forest -- win
2/10 @ Maryland -- loss
2/13 @ Virginia Tech -- loss
2/17 Florida State -- loss
2/20 @ Clemson -- loss
2/23 @ Miami -- win
2/28 Duke -- win
3/3 @ Boston College -- win
3/6 Maryland -- win

This Saturday's game against Wage is HUGE. Win that one, and we're at 4-0, and our recent run is legitimized. And you know what? I think that game is infinitely winnable. Wake has a good team, but it plays sloppy. If we roll in playing good solid Bennett Ball, I think we could shock them on their home court.

The four game stretch in mid-February -- @ Maryland, @ VT, FSU, and @ Clemson -- looks really brutal to me.


Jontel Evans, Mustapha Farrakhan, Sammy Zeglinski, and Jerome Meyinsse continue to improve with each game. These four players are the critical role players that allow Sylven Landesberg and Mike Scott to shine. If this quartet can continue to play well, the Tournament seems within reach...

GO HOOS!