Addition by Subtraction?

Of the 13 basketball players on scholarship (Calvin Baker, John Brandenburg, Jontel Evans, Mustapha Farrakhan, Jeff Jones, Sylven Landesberg, Jerome Meyinsse, Mike Scott, Assane Sene, Tristan Spurlock, Solomon Tat, Jamil Tucker, and Sammy Zeglinski) Tony Bennett inherited when he took the Virginia job, two have already prematurely washed out of the program -- Brandenburg in the summer of '09, and Tucker in December '09. Now Sylven Landesberg has been suspended from the team for the remainder of the season for academic reasons, and isn't expected to return to the program. (Most folks are guessing Landesberg tries his hand at the NBA, using a potentially lucrative career in Europe as a cushion if the NBA doesn't want him.) Baker left the team prior to the ACC Tournament due to an illness in the family, but he's a 4th year anyway, joining Meyinsse and Tat in the exodus via graduation. Rumors continue to swirl that Tristan Spurlock, unhappy with his playing time and discouraged by his poor fit in the "Bennett Ball" system, has already been in contact with other schools seeking a potential transfer destination.

The news isn't all bad, however. This week, when asked point blank if he were considering a transfer away from UVA after this season, Mike Scott said bluntly : "I ain't going anywhere." And early-season talk about Sene being unhappy with his role appear to have been overstated. Sene has emerged as a team-first guy who has [slowly but steadily] embraced the role Coach Bennett has in mind for him. So I expect both big men to be back next year.

Add them to the returning core of the team and the six incoming freshmen, and here's what the depth chart might look like for next season:

1) Jontel Evans / Billy Baron
2/3) Sammy Zeglinski / K.T. Harrell / Jeff Jones / Mustapha Farrakhan / Joe Harris
4) Mike Scott / Will Regan / Will Sherrill
5) Assane Sene / James Johnson

(Incoming freshman forward Akil Mitchell is expected to redshirt in 2010-11, so he isn't listed above.)

It's possible that if Landesberg and Spurlock both leave early, Bennett could pursue yet another prospect for the 2010 recruiting class, bringing that number to a staggering SEVEN incoming freshmen. Or the spare scholarship could go to walk-on Will Sherrill for his senior season, which would be an outstanding gesture and would get the program back in more regular scholarship expiration rhythm.

No doubt, next year's team will miss Landesberg's scoring punch. But if the result is the more in-control, balanced offense that played so well yesterday without the "let's play passive and just wait for Sylven to score" dynamic against BC, then it might just be addition by subtraction.

Also, without Landesberg and Spurlock, we'll be completely undersized at small forward. I'm sure Bennett will opt for a three-guard lineup, which could be interesting to mix and match backcourt pairings given the very specific strengths and weaknesses of our guards.

But now I'm rambling and riffing...

The point is that I choose to take yesterday's BC game as a preview to the type of team-based basketball we'll see next season, without Sylven Landesberg. I doubt the Hoos will be very good, but it should be a much more rewarding team to follow.