Stifling Defense Has Virginia Up to No. 3
Last year, the Virginia Cavaliers won 30 games for only the second time in school history. Through December 30, the Cavaliers are 11-0 and this season could be even better than last year.
Virginia’s last win was Saturday December 20 against Harvard in which they opened with a 39-8 halftime lead and coasted to a 76-27 win.
On Monday, the Cavaliers were named as the No. 3 team in the country trailing only No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 Duke.
Last season Virginia was a No. 1 seed at the NCAA Tournament.
The team is now 11-0 and will face Davidson on December 30 then start their ACC schedule as one of the nation’s most dangerous teams.
The conference schedule Virginia faces this season will be no easy task. Five of their opponents are currently in the top 25 and nine are in the top 70.
Virginia’s defense will be its equalizer in its conference games that include Louisville, North Carolina, Duke, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, NC State and Syracuse.
The defense is something that never changes whether the opponent is physical, run and gun, inside out or something else.
The Cavaliers will make any opponent work and it will not be easy to accomplish. The team’s defense is just as strong on the road as it is as home and credit goes to Tony Bennett the head coach for that.
Prior to this season, Virginia under Bennett had won 75 games in three seasons.
Some have not completely bought into the Cavaliers because of their slow tempo, but at this point, it is a mute point.
Virginia reached the Sweet Sixteen last season and was one bucket from reaching the Elite Eight, losing 61-59 against the Michigan State Spartans.
The statement win thus for this season for Virginia was against Harvard just one day after the Kentucky Wildcats were ahead 41-7 at halftime against UCLA.
On Tuesdays, Virginia will look for its best start in the past 33 season, but Davidson will test the tough Virginia defense.
Davidson leads the nation in scoring averaging 87.7 points per game. The team shoots over 41% from beyond the three-point line.
However, the Cavaliers are holding their opponents to just 24% from beyond the three point line.
The Wildcats are 9-1 on the season with seven straight wins after defeating College of Charleston on December 20 by a score of 80-68.
However, Davidson is just 1-19 in its past 20 games versus teams in the Top 25.
After Virginia’s game against Davidson, the team prepares for its tough ACC schedule that will give everyone a better idea of just how good the team is.
