No, this matchup doesn't elicit national excitement. Hell, it's not even televised. But after last season's run, I've never seen a fan base so fired up about an away game against a pretty bad opponent.
Tony Bennett has us believing again in Charlottesville.
And rightfully so. Combined with Bennett's genius, our guys can compete with almost anyone.
One thing I want to point out though, is that the pack-line works because of the selflessness of the guys we have. It's hard to recruit high school studs and tell them they'll probably never average more that 12 or so points per game, at the very best.
But Bennett has found those guys. Joe Harris, for example, could have scored 20-25 a game at most schools, but here he barely eclipsed 10 last season. But Harris is just one of many examples. Aside from Darion Atkins's ill-timed comments last postseason, this was the most cohesive team I have seen.
Ever. In any sport.
That's what made the Syracuse game so special. To see these guys reach the top in front of a crowd that wanted nothing more to see the basketball powers of old surrender to the solidarity of the Cavaliers, we delivered a dominating, emotional, awe-inspiring performance.
This year seems to have the same makeup.
However, it is important to remember that this will be a different team. Atkins will have to try to replace Mitchell's defense. Can Devon Hall or Justin Anderson provide the same perimeter threat as Harris? Or will Bennett re-tool the offensive attack work Gill and Tobey down in the post more often.
More than likely, we won't know our identity until close to ACC play. Honestly, it wasn't until FSU last season that we really found ours.
So, Cavalier faithful, be patient. I would not be surprised at all to see us drop games to Harvard, Maryland, or VCU.
We're going to need someone to step up like Perrantes did last year. Could it be Hall? Or maybe even one of the first years?
All I can say is, starting tonight, we'll find out.
Quick Expectations for Each Player for 2014-2015
(0) Devon Hall (R-Fr.) -- He's the wild card, in my opinion. Likely to start at point tonight, he has drawn rave reviews from the coaches and teammates alike. He's going to be counted on spelling guys like Perrantes and Brogdon. He seems up to the challenge.
(1) Justin Anderson (Jr.) -- Preferably, I'd rather to continue to see him come off the bench. He doesn't provide as great a perimeter presence as I'd like, but man do I love his energy. The things with guys that hustle like him is that there will always be a role for you.
(5) Darion Atkins (Sr.) -- Like Hall, I'm not sure what his role will be. Is his offensive game consistent enough for him to start? Judging from last season, no. But we will need his physicality, for sure. He's a guy that's got a chance to salvage a largely disappointing career.
(10) Mike Tobey (Jr.) -- He's got to be more consistent. He's got range, he's got height, but he's always lacked energy offensively and his feet are too slow for my preference on defense. He'll likely continue to start at the 5, but look for Atkins to spell him quite often as Mitchell did last season.
(11) Evan Nolte (Jr.) -- Here's a guy that I'm just not high on. Yes, he came on a little bit in the tournament, but from a 4-star guy that rode the bench for 2 seasons, I'm not drinking the kool-aid yet. He's probably too big to be a 3, but not strong or physical enough to be a 4/ a low-post guy. I don't expect him to contribute really any more than he did a year ago.
(13) Anthony Gill (Jr.) -- If you ask me for the biggest key to our success this season, it's #13. Coming off the bench last season, he gave us a physical presence on the boards and a solid 10 points per game. His defensive game has reportedly improved, so he's got the making to be a real stud. Offensively, I think the team goes where he goes. Is he ready to be a full time starter? We'll need to find that our pretty soon.
(15) Malcolm Brogdon (Jr.)-- He'll be the centerpiece of the offense. Dickie V tabbed him as a first-team all-American. I wouldn't go that far, but he's got a complete game -- he can hit the 3, the mid-range jumper, and drive to the hoop. And his defense isn't too shabby either. He and Gill will be focus-points of our offense.
(32) London Perrantes (So.) -- #CaliSwag. Got to love his composure, which earned him a mini-feature on Sports Illustrated. I missed last season's JMU opener, but I knew after VCU he was our point-guard. And sure enough, he was as critical to our success as anyone. I still don't know why he was suspended for the opener, but assuming this was a one-time deal, he'll provide a steady-hand as we forge our identity in the early going.
The Freshmen -- We know at least one of (33) Jack Salt, (4) Marial Shayock, (2) B.J. Stith, and (21) Isaiah Wilkins will redshirt. From reports, Shayock seems to be the only one of the four that isn't in consideration. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but in a rotation of no more than nine guys, it just makes sense to see maybe even two further develop their game without losing a year of eligibility, especially with key cogs such as Brogdon, Gill, and Tobey leaving in two-seasons. I trust Bennett on this one.
(NOTE: Tennessee transfer (51) Darius Thomsen, per NCAA rules, will take a redshirt season).
Well there you have it folks. I'm not going to make any game-by-game predictions just because I don't see the point in basketball. Upsets happen. Teams get on hot and cold streaks. Things happen.
But I think we all agree anything less than 4th in the ACC is a disappointing season. This isn't pessimism, just the reality of the expectations Bennett has built.
But that's where you want your program.
Prove everyone right, Bennett. Go Hoos!
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