Video: Watch Auburn's Samir Doughty's Controversial Foul on Virginia's Kyle Guy
Apr 6, 2019
BR Video
Kyle Guy sent Virginia to the NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game thanks to three free throws with six-tenths of a second left on the clock as the No. 1 seed Cavaliers beat No. 5 Auburn 63-62 on Saturday.
Down 62-60, UVA inbounded the ball with 1.5 seconds remaining.
Guy received the pass and took a turnaround three-pointer from the corner. The shot was off, but the referees called a shooting foul on Auburn junior guard Samir Doughty.
Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl was irate after the foul fall, as were Auburn players and fans.
CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore, a former NFL and NCAA basketball referee, said the foul call was correct on the televised broadcast.
However, he also said Virginia guard Ty Jerome committed a double dribble in the closing seconds of the game. Had the violation been called, Auburn would have received the ball back up two.
UVA will play in the national championship on Monday.
Ty Jerome, No. 1 Virginia Advance to NCAA Championship with Win vs. No. 5 Auburn
Apr 6, 2019
Virginia players celebrate after defeating Auburn 63-62 in the semifinals of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 6, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Virginia is one win away from a national championship after three Kyle Guy free throws gave the team a 63-62 win over Auburn in the Final Four.
Guy was fouled while he attempted a game-winning buzzer-beater, and he calmly nailed all three shots to give his team the lead with 0.6 seconds left.
Ty Jerome had 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, while De'Andre Hunter added 14 points and two blocks. Virginia lost the 10-point lead it held with just over five minutes left but found a way to escape once again.
The Cavaliers entered March Madness with plenty of question marks after last year's loss to a No. 16 seed, but they are now on the brink of a championship.
Bryce Brown tried to keep up with 12 points against Virginia, but the Tigers' incredible run of 12 straight wins ended in the national semifinals.
Auburn appeared ready to steal a win after Virginia controlled much of the second half, as the Tigers came back from down 10 to take the lead with a 14-0 run. This effort featured several big threes after Auburn struggled from the outside all game, including the go-ahead shot by Bryce Brown:
Either way, Virginia took a one-point lead and a last-second look for the Tigers then fell short to seal the win for Virginia.
Auburn had succeeded all season by knocking down shots from the outside—leading the nation with made three-pointers—but that wasn't easy at the start of the game.
The Tigers started just 1-of-11 from beyond the arc, with the Cavaliers defense forcing some difficult shots. This was after the Tigers suffered a shot-clock violation on the first possession, which wasn't a great sign.
The team finished just 9-of-31 from three-point range.
However, Auburn found a way to succeed early on by attacking the paint and finishing at the rim:
The game is at Virginia's pace, as we knew it would be, but I've been impressed by Auburn's ability to get to the rim against the Cavs' halfcourt defense. The less the Tigers settle for jump shots, the better.
Still, Auburn took a 31-28 halftime lead thanks to its ability to go inside as well as a 20-14 rebounding advantage.
The team was also impressive on the defensive end to hold Virginia to difficult shots throughout the half.
There was a better offensive plan in the second half from the Cavaliers, which finally got the ball to one of their most talented players:
First three possessions of this half, Virginia gets the rock to De'Andre Hunter. He's the guy that is going to make the difference for them if they come back to win.
This level of play and a refocused defense helped Virginia regain the lead starting with an 8-0 run in the first five minutes of the second half.
The Cavaliers will try to rest up before what could be an even tougher battle in the national championship game. Virginia will face the winner of Michigan State and Texas Tech on Monday night at 9 p.m. ET.
Video: Virginia's Ty Jerome Finishes And-1 Layup in Final Four vs. Auburn
Apr 6, 2019
BR Video
Virginia junior guard Ty Jerome earned the hoop plus the harm with a layup over Auburn senior wing Malik Dunbar in the Final Four of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on Saturday.
Jerome missed the ensuing free throw, but his shot put UVA up 14-13.
Virginia Is Looking for Redemption at the Final Four
Apr 5, 2019
BR Video
The Virginia Cavaliers are the only No. 1 seed at the Final Four and have reached that point for the first time in 35 years.
Watch the video above for more about Virginia's road to redemption after last year's first-round exit.
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Virginia SG Kyle Guy Can't Start Wedding Registry Because of NCAA Regulations
Apr 4, 2019
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 04: Kyle Guy #5 of the Virginia Cavaliers speaks to the media in the locker room prior to the 2019 NCAA Tournament Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 4, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
Any engaged college athletes hoping to fill out a wedding registry may need to consult with the NCAA first.
Virginia guard Kyle Guy told reporters Thursday his fiancee wasn't allowed to share the couple's wedding registry because it would constitute a violation of NCAA rules:
Virginia's Kyle Guy and his fiancee can't start their wedding registry because NCAA. pic.twitter.com/kuFB3O8A0f
NCAA president Mark Emmert told reporters there are no guidelines preventing Guy from having a wedding registry: "Nobody in the NCAA said anything of the sort. We don’t know what the source of that information was…It’s certainly not...a violation of NCAA rules."
Per NCAA rules, student-athletes are prohibited from receiving anything that constitutes an extra benefit, including "cash, gift certificates or other items with value," from athletics representatives, boosters or fans.
As much as the NCAA continues to insist it can't pay student-athletes—even as it hits record revenue totals—the organization at least seems to be willing to let them get married without interference.
Hopefully Guy receives word there is no NCAA violation if his fiancee posts their registry so they can continue forward with their wedding plans.
Kyle Guy's Resurgence Sparks Virginia to Get Final Four Monkey off Its Back
Mar 31, 2019
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MARCH 30: Kyle Guy #5 of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates after a three pointer against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at KFC YUM! Center on March 30, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Heading into the Elite Eight, junior guard Kyle Guy couldn't find water if he fell out of a boat, hit the broad side of a barn or kick a tire down a hill. The Virginia sharpshooter had simply gone ice-cold.
The top-seeded Cavaliers kept winning anyway.
And under the brightest lights of his career, Guy helped Virginia overcome an absolutely brilliant night from Purdue's Carsen Edwards. As a result, head coach Tony Bennett―exactly 10 years from the day he was hired at UVA―can muffle the noise from his biggest critics.
After a half-decade of elite regular-season performances followed by subpar March results and an inglorious history-making upset in the 2018 tournament, Virginia has finally earned a trip to the Final Four.
With one victory, a thrilling 80-75 overtime triumph over Purdue, the story of Virginia basketball has changed dramatically.
#UVA guard Kyle Guy on Tony Bennett and reaching the Final Four: “Not only did we silence his critics, we silenced our own.”
Entering the NCAA tournament, Guy boasted a 46.3 percent three-point clip. Through the Sweet 16, however, he'd connected on just three of 26 attempts and totaled 22 points. To say the first-team All-ACC guard was struggling would be an understatement.
But that's not something he acknowledges.
"I don't believe in slumps," Guy said on TBS following the game. "That's a bad word in my household."
Saturday in Louisville, he was a bad, bad man.
Considering the way he crumpled to the floor late in the first half, his explosive night was also unexpected. Inadvertent contact with a Purdue defender led to Guy rolling his ankle, and he hobbled off the floor. Nevertheless, he returned to carry the Hoos in the second half.
On the opening possession, Guy drained a triple to give Virginia its first lead of the contest.
Soon, he buried another. And another. In the second half alone, Guy hit five threes―again, two more than the rest of his NCAA tourney combined. He finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds.
But as tremendous as Guy's performance was, his explosion only mattered because of the heroics from teammates Kihei Clark and Mamadi Diakite.
Following a missed free throw with 5.7 seconds left in regulation, Clark chased down Diakite's tip and fired the ball right back to the forward, who tossed up a buzzer-beating equalizer.
During the extra period, De'Andre Hunter provided the go-ahead layup. One Purdue miss later, Guy buried two clutch free throws before a turnover let Virginia punch its long-awaited ticket.
The school hired Bennett from Washington State in 2009, and he needed a few seasons to retool the program in his image. Bennett finally smashed a barrier in 2013-14 when UVA won 30 games and reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in 19 years.
But the results in March only improved once after that.
Other than an Elite Eight berth in 2016, the Hoos bowed out in the Round of 32 twice, and in 2018, they fell to UMBC, becoming the first top-seeded team to lose to a No. 16 seed. For a program winning 29-31 games on a fairly consistent basis, the string of early March departures was deemed unacceptable. Bennett's slow-tempo style constantly took the blame.
It's boring. Won't ever win playing that way in March. Never mind that Loyola-Chicago used an identical philosophy during its memorable 2018 run, Bennett and Virginia can't get it done.
Until they did.
There's no question how much this win mattered to Bennett. The head coach is ordinarily even-tempered—recall his post-UMBC loss press conference, for example―and good at keeping his emotions in check. But upon cutting down the net in Louisville, Bennett unleashed a full-body scream.
Finally, he's brought UVA within two games of a national title.
Yes, the high regard for a Final Four appearance is somewhat arbitrary. Today's championship-or-bust sports culture usually doesn't have time to applaud a semifinal run, but reaching the Final Four is, for whatever reason, an exception. Thankfully, this allows us to acknowledge that it's an immensely difficult thing to do.
Regardless of what happens in Minneapolis, the Hoos have accomplished something a Bennett-led team had never done. They put even more distance between themselves, that historic 2018 loss and the half-decade of March frustration before it.
Virginia won't be satisfied with anything less than a championship. Still, thanks to Saturday's win, the sting of those past letdowns isn't quite as painful.
"It's a pretty good 10-year anniversary gift, for sure," Bennett told reporters.
But if Guy continues shooting at that level, the vaunted defense excels and Bennett pushes the right coaching buttons, Virginia's celebration may only be just beginning.
No. 1 Virginia Wins in OT vs. Carsen Edwards, Purdue; Advances to Final Four
Mar 30, 2019
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MARCH 30: Mamadi Diakite #25 of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates with teammates after making a game-tying shot over Matt Haarms #32 of the Purdue Boilermakers to extend the game to overtime as time expires in the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at KFC YUM! Center on March 30, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Kyle Guy scored 25 points and Ty Jerome added 24 as No. 1 seed Virginia beat No. 3 Purdue 80-75 in overtime on Saturday in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
Virginia won despite 42 points from Purdue guard Carsen Edwards, who hit 10 of 19 three-pointersfor the 26-10 Boilermakers.
Down 70-68 with seconds remaining in regulation, UVA forced overtime after a haphazard sequence that ended with a Mamadi Diakite jumper for the tie:
Edwards missed a three in response, and Guy made two free throws on the ensuing possession.
Purdue still had five seconds left to go full court and attempt a game-tying three, but the Boilermakers committed a turnover. Virginia guard Kihei Clark sealed the game with two free throws.
It's easy to fall into a recency-bias trap and say this was the best NCAA tournament game played in the past few years.
But how can one not after watching what took place Saturday?
The South Regional final was a fantastic matchup that featured a phenomenal individual performance, an all-time great play, few mistakes and two teams who hadn't made the Final Four since well before anyone on the court was born.
On Edwards' end, what record didn't he match or set on Saturday evening?
Carsen Edwards is ridiculous.
He's the 1st player in NCAA Tournament history with multiple games of 9+ 3-pt FG.
He's also just the 8th player in NCAA Tournament history with 5 consecutive games with 25+ points. Jerry West has the most consecutive with 8. pic.twitter.com/vhOoxB0PrL
Clark had the ball in his hands on the UVA side of the midcourt logo with just 2.0 seconds remaining, showcasing just how much needed to go right for Diakite to get the shot off—let alone make it.
His pass needed to be fast and pinpoint accurate just to give Diakite a puncher's chance, and it was.
Then, Diakite needed the presence of mind to get a controlled shot off before the buzzer, and he came through.
Lee Benson of News9 pointed out the most impressive part of the play, however:
It's insane that Kihei Clark had the situational awareness to make that bullet pass to Diakite for the last shot -- as opposed to Clark taking a desperation half court heave. Phenomenal play all the way around.
The freshman guard showed unbelievable poise and maturity, especially considering the rough night he endured before that moment. Clark had more fouls (three) than points (two) and didn't score until his game-sealing free throws.
UVA wouldn't have had a chance to get to that point without the dual dominance of Guy and Jerome.
Guy, who had made just three of 26 three-pointers in three NCAA tournament games, broke out in a big way by going 5-of-12 from downtown. He also grabbed 10 boards.
Edwards and Guy were going bucket for bucket at one point:
And Zach Harper of The Athletic was quite excited:
CARSEN EDWARDS AND KYLE GUY WILL BURN DOWN YOUR RESPECTIVE HOMES, REBUILD THEM, INSTALL INCREDIBLE INTERNET CONNECTIONS, AND THEN WAIT FOR THE NCAA TO SUPPLY YOU WITH THE FREE WIFI PASSWORDS
Guy, whose slump-breaking performance seemed inevitable considering he was making 42.7 percent of his threes entering Saturday, has a big fan in ex-Virginia football standout and two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long:
Kyle Guy you are making a case for my UVA Mt Rushmore
The junior also played through an injured ankle, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN:
Kyle Guy had his ankle re-taped, then put his sock and shoe back on, then jogged a little bit in the tunnel. Walking around without much issue on the sideline.
Jerome only committed one turnover, and the two teams combined had only 14 on the evening. The biggest one occurred with seconds left in overtime, when an Edwards pass to Ryan Cline went out of bounds:
Who can even remotely blame him for the Boilermakers losing, though? Both teams played a phenomenal game in a matchup that featured two teams looking to go back to the Final Four for the first time in decades and simultaneously trying to ward off some old tournament demons.
Purdue hadn't been to the Final Four since 1980. In the first round in 2016, the seniors endured a heartbreaking defeat when they lost to Arkansas-Little Rock 85-83 in double overtime after holding a 14-point lead with 4:06 left in regulation.
Virginia knows heartbreak all too well. The No. 1 seed Cavaliers lost 68-62 to No. 10 Syracuse in the 2016 Elite Eight after holding a 16-point second-half lead. The Hoos then lost by 26 to Florida in the second round the following year before their infamous 74-54 defeat to No. 16 UMBC as the tournament's No. 1 overall seed.
Jerome and Guy, two juniors who were there for the last two tournaments, now have a chance to write a happier ending in 2019.
The Cavaliers have now advanced to their first Final Four since 1984 and will face the winner of No. 2 Kentucky and No. 5 Auburn next Saturday.
The Wildcats vs. Tigers matchup will take place on Sunday at 2:20 p.m. ET.
Can Virginia Avenge the Most Embarrassing Loss in March Madness History?
Mar 6, 2019
Virginia guard Kyle Guy (5) Virginia guard De'Andre Hunter (12) and Virginia guard Ty Jerome (11) watch a foul shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019. Virginia defeated Wake Forest 68-45. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Virginia knows it's coming.
All season long, Tony Bennett's team has understood what's about to happen.
No matter how the Cavaliers performed in 2018-19, no matter if they won another ACC title, they knew. The most exciting time of the college basketball season will also be exasperating.
March Madness previews and highlight reels will prominently feature the program for its stunning loss to UMBC last season. Never before had a No. 1 seed lost to a No. 16 seed in the NCAA tournament, and it wasn't even close at 74-54. Everywhere they turn, the Wahoos will be reminded of it.
Virginia cannot fully silence the conversations; UMBC accomplished something historic, and the dramatic upset encapsulated why viewers―whether diehard fans, casual supporters or people who annually emerge in March to enjoy the exciting tournament―are so attracted to the Big Dance.
But the ACC club also understands the only way to muffle the impending noise.
Win.
As usual, few schools are better positioned to do exactly that in March. Entering its regular-season finale, Virginia holds a 27-2 record. With a victory over Louisville, the Hoos would earn their fourth regular-season ACC crown in the last six campaigns.
As usual, the Bennett-led roster showcases lethal efficiency on offense and defense alike while playing at a deliberate pace. According to KenPom.com, it ranks second nationally on both ends and features the slowest tempo of all 353 teams.
As usual, Virginia is headed toward a top-two NCAA tournament seed. Provided that happens, the Wahoos would position themselves at either No. 1 or No. 2 for the fifth time in six seasons.
During this stretch, however, the regular-season powerhouse has only advanced past the Sweet 16 once. It happened back in 2015-16, when Malcolm Brogdon won ACC Player of the Year and UVA boosted its scoring average to an uncharacteristic 80.7 points over the three tournament wins.
So, what's new? Why will 2019 be any different?
Skepticism is reasonable. After all, we're on record "selling" the Cavs as national champions. Virginia's style creates the mathematical challenge of thriving in limited possessions. The excellence so evident during the regular season can be washed away with one bad March performance. Memorable upsets happen when outliers emerge and trends aren't matched.
Still, it's a fair question. The answer just isn't straightforward because personal feelings shape the response.
What qualifies as different? What do you feel "avenges" the UMBC loss?
To some, it could be as simple as exorcising a first-round demon. For others, there's no way to truly overcome a letdown other than celebrating the greatest triumph―a la when Villanova finally survived the opening weekend and won a national title, which Jay Wright's club has done twice in the last three seasons.
Then, consider the answer between those extremes. Even if Virginia doesn't win it all, the team could break a trend and become a positive exception.
Despite all the achievements of Bennett's 10-year tenure, the program has only reached the Sweet 16 twice and Elite Eight once. Again, answers to the original question may vary, yet history says an Elite Eight appearance is a noteworthy accomplishment.
And that's fully within reason for the 2018-19 team.
When the Hoos made the regional final in 2015-16, they shot 40.2 percent from three―then the highest mark of the Bennett era―while hitting 6.1 trifectas per game. This year, Virginia boasts a 41.4 percent clip while averaging 8.4 made threes.
Bennett's past teams have never showcased this combination of high efficiency and depth on the perimeter, either. Kyle Guy, De'Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome combine to attempt 14.3 threes per game and connect at a 45.2 percent rate.
The trio put its collective firepower on display during a 79-53 rout of Syracuse on March 4, shooting 18-of-23 from long range. After the game, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim had high praise for UVA.
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said this is the best Virginia team he’s seen: “By a lot.”
If this is Bennett's best team, shouldn't the measurement of success be whether Virginia wins it all, not whether it advances to the Elite Eight? After all, a program of this stature always eyes a national title.
Realistically, that's only the case if your personal preference is a championship-or-bust outlook—a method that labels one team as successful and 352 as failures. While a justifiable approach, it removes all nuance and refuses to account for history.
From our perspective, making the Elite Eight would be a satisfactory recovery from 2018's loss to UMBC. Anything less would be a continuation of a disappointing trend.
But if the Cavaliers can maneuver past the Sweet 16, they'll be on the brink of a Final Four appearance—something no Bennett-led team has achieved.
Video: UVA's Team-Record 18 Three-Pointers Spark 40-9 Run in Win vs. Syracuse
Mar 4, 2019
Virginia basketball used a stunning shooting display Monday to earn a dominant road win against Syracuse.
The Cavaliers set a team record with 18 three-pointers to earn the 79-53 win at the Carrier Dome. The team finished 18-of-25 from three-point range, including an incredible second-half run to pull away after trailing at halftime:
This has been one of the most impressive second-half performances we’ve seen this season. Virginia waltzing into the Carrier Dome and going on a 37-9 run in about 12 minutes. Have made 10 of their last 11 3s.
It was also arguably the best shooting performance of the year in college basketball:
According to @kenpomeroy, the only other team this season to shoot at least 20 3s in a game and make at least 70 percent of them was Iowa vs. Illinois (15-of-21) on Jan. 20.
Virginia just made 72 percent of its 25 3-pointers vs. SU and matched a school record for made 3s (18).
Most of the offensive explosion came from the same three players who have been carrying Virginia's offense throughout the season.
Kyle Guy (25 points), De'Andre Hunter (21 points) and Ty Jerome (16 points and 14 assists) combined to shoot 18-of-23 from beyond the arc against Syracuse. They were responsible for 78.5 percent of the team's scoring in the win.
Although probably unsustainable, this type of shooting could make the Cavaliers very dangerous in March.
De'Andre Hunter Powers No. 3 UVA in Comeback Win vs. No. 18 Louisville
Feb 23, 2019
Virginia guard De'Andre Hunter (12) attempts a shot over the reach of Louisville center Malik Williams (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Louisville, Ky., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
The third-ranked Virginia Cavaliers continued their recent hot streak against ACC competition with a come-from-behind 64-52 win over the No. 18 Louisville Cardinals at the KFC Yum! Center on Saturday.
The Cavaliers erased a 12-point deficit by outscoring Louisville 37-15 in the second half.
Since an 81-71 loss against Duke on Feb. 9, Virginia has won four straight games, all in the ACC. Three of those wins came over ranked opponents North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Louisville.
Virginia started the day tied with Duke and North Carolina atop the conference at 11-2. The Cavaliers are at a disadvantage for conference tournament seeding since they lost both head-to-head games against the Blue Devils, but they are in excellent position to at least secure a top-three seed.
De'Andre Hunter led Virginia's comeback by scoring a season-high 26 points. The other four starters combined for 12 points on 4-of-23 shooting.
Jordan Nwora carried the Louisville offense with 17 points, but the Cardinals were held to 30.9 percent shooting against the Cavs' stout defense.
De'Andre Hunter Emerging as Sleeper Candidate in Player of the Year Race
The go-to scorer for Virginia this season has been Kyle Guy. The junior entered Saturday leading the team with 15.4 points per game. He struggled against Louisville, finishing with just eight points on 2-of-8 shooting after averaging 21.7 points over the past three games.
With Guy struggling from the field, Hunter showed why he is the Cavaliers' best all-around player, an underrated candidate for national player of the year and an emerging NBA draft prospect.
Hunter has already made huge strides from his freshman year to this sophomore campaign. His scoring average is up six points per game (from 9.2), and his rebounds are up nearly two per game (from 3.5 to 5.4). He's a 54.3 percent shooter, including 47.4 percent from three-point range.
The only two three-point field goals Virginia had against Louisville were made by Hunter. The rest of the team missed its 15 shots behind the arc.
Beyond Hunter's offensive contributions, he's also regarded as one of the best defensive players in the country.
The Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks wrote in November what made Hunter such a problem for opposing players last season:
"There wasn't a player in the ACC whom he couldn't guard. He could bang inside with 6-foot-11 big men like Marvin Bagley III, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, and stay in front of 6-foot-4 guards like Lonnie Walker IV, the No. 18 overall pick. According to the tracking numbers at Synergy Sports, Hunter was in the 87th percentile of defenders nationwide on spot-up shots, the 94th percentile against both pick-and-roll ball handlers and post-ups, the 92nd percentile against isolations, and the 99th percentile when contesting shots at the rim."
Hunter was named as one of the 10 finalists for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday.
Following a Feb. 16 win over Notre Dame, Hunter received high praise from Fighting Irish head coach Mike Brey for his aggressive, attacking style of play.
"He's got a mid-range game, and he's physical enough to get to the bucket, and he gets LeBron calls," Brey told reporters. "I'm sorry, did I say that? Anyways, he's a hard matchup for anybody in this league and certainly for us."
No one else is going to compare Hunter to LeBron James, but his ability to do even one thing as well as one of the best NBA players of all time speaks to the trajectory of the Virginia star's career.
In the wake of Duke star Zion Williamson's sprained knee—he's listed as day to day by the team—the door for top contenders in the national player of the year race may be wide-open.
If Hunter continues his recent offensive surge—Saturday marked the third time he scored at least 20 points in the past four games—and Virginia wins the ACC, he will have as strong a case as anyone in the country for the honor.
Chris Mack Needs to Make Louisville More Aggressive on Offense
Even when Louisville was playing its best this season, it had flaws on the offensive end that needed to be fixed. The Cardinals aren't efficient, ranking 60th in the nation with 1.06 points per possession, per TeamRankings.com.
Per Paul Guttman of Streaking the Lawn, Louisville entered Saturday ranked 65th in percentage of shots taken from three-point range, 109th in three-point percentage, 150th in offensive rebounding and 151st in turnovers.
One thing Louisville did well, especially early, against Virginia was shoot the three. The team was 10-of-16 from behind the arc and took a 37-27 halftime lead but made just two of its 17 attempts in the final 20 minutes.
The Cardinals have been successful at the free-throw line. They rank ninth in the nation with a 77.1 percentage from the charity stripe, per TeamRankings.com.
Perhaps Louisville should try attacking the basket regularly in an attempt to get officials to blow their whistles. Instead, 60 percent of the team's shots against Virginia were from three-point range. The Cardinals had just eight free-throw tries and have averaged 12.9 over the past seven games.
Head coach Chris Mack is running out of time to turn things around with three games remaining in the regular season before the conference tournament begins.
Mack's methodical offensive style would seem to be a natural fit for Louisville to be more aggressive. It hasn't translated on the court, especially during this late-season malaise, but hope isn't lost heading into the madness of March.
What's Next?
Virginia will host Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday. Louisville will go on the road for a matchup with Boston College at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday.
