Billy Baron has been the early-season sparkplug for the Hoos.
#1 -- Mike Scott
Scott is clearly the Hoos' best player. With 18 points and 9 rebounds against William & Mary and 19 & 12 against SC Upstate, he's certainly proving his value. So far, he's been great... but still not quite "on" at all times. To use a cheesy cliché, his motor hasn't been running particularly hot during these early season warm-up games. In order for UVA be a relevant team this season, we need Mike Scott to be playing his best. Thursday's game against Stanford and next week's games in Maui will prove just how much he wants it this season.
#2 -- Jontel Evans
The little bulldog hasn't scored a ton (16 points total in the two games) but he's setting a tone with his tenacious defense, he's making plays, and he isn't turning the ball over (8:1 assist-to-turnover ratio). He's clearly the straw that is going to stir the drink for the Hoos this season.
#3 -- Billy Baron
I don't want to overrate the guy, but he has been instant offense -- and provided a tremendous lift -- for the Hoos coming off of the bench. Against W&M he drilled five threes on six attempts. Against Upstate, he nailed 2-for-3 behind the arc, and poured in 14 game-changing points. When Baron has been paired with Evans in the backcourt, opposing guards have looked very uncomfortable.
#4 -- Mustapha Farrakhan
Mu hasn't been playing poorly per se, but his impact on the first two games has been quietly felt. His outside shot has been decent, his ballhandling has been okay, and he's played solid D. Mu is a guy who will always look to push the envelope a tad too far, and he's gotten himself into some bad plays as a result. Still, his veteran presence is crucial to this otherwise green backcourt.
#5 -- KT Harrell
I'm still waiting to see the real KTH. He's had his bright moments, but he hasn't really shown me that sparkling "star-in-the-making" level of play that I expected to see. Watching him, you can tell that he's maybe pressing a little bit right now, and it can't help to see Baron lighting it up so quickly out of the gates.
#6 -- Joe Harris
There is a very captivating completeness to Harris' game. He's steady on the perimeter, has shown a beautiful shooting stroke on his outside shot (that, unfortunately isn't really dropping right now), and is surprisingly good at getting into the low post and mixing it up. He was a big part of the second half run that allowed us to pull away from Upstate, and you get the sense that it's only a matter of time before that shot starts dropping with increased regularity.
#7 -- Akil Mitchell
I am ranking him ahead of Assane Sene and Will Sherrill because frankly, I think he has outplayed them in far fewer minutes. His athleticism is as advertised --- he's bouncy and quick, and looks like a very natural rebounding force. His minutes jumped from 5 against W&M to 11 against Upstate, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them settle in around the 12-16 area. He hasn't been scoring, but I bet he'll get his share of garbage points once his role is settled in the rotation.
#8 -- Will Sherrill
Averaging 22 minutes per game so far, it's pretty clear that he has earned Bennett's trust, and will play a consistent 20 minutes in every game until Mitchell and/or Sene step up. He's not a great rebounder, and he doesn't offer much on offense when his shot isn't falling (and it hasn't been so far), but he gives steady effort and still sets the best screens on the team.
#9 -- Assane Sene
I'm very disappointed with the big man so far this season. He's mistiming his jumps for rebounds, being drawn out of position on defense, and hasn't registered a single blocked shot in two games against teams much smaller than what he'll face in the ACC grind. It's a slow start for Sene... he'll either get it going, or he'll fade back into a spot player role. Still, with Johnson redshirting, he's the only true center on the team, so we need him to play better.
#10 -- Will Regan
He played 6 minutes against William & Mary, played scrappy in the interior, and knocked down a gorgeous three from the top of the arc. His reward for that effort? He didn't step on the court against SC Upstate. It's clear that Tony Bennett wants to whittle things down to a tight 8- or 9-man rotation, and it doesn't look like Regan has a role for this season. However, that could change quickly if Sene continues to struggle or if Akil Mitchell regresses.
Upcoming games:
Thursday, Nov. 18, 10:30 PM -- @ Stanford, FSN
Monday, Nov. 22, 11:59 PM -- Washington (Maui Invitational), ESPN2
Tuesday, Nov. 23, time TBA -- Kentucky or Oklahoma (Maui, second round), ESPN or ESPN2
Wednesday, Nov. 24, time TBA -- Opponent TBA (Maui, third round), ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPNU
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