On a night when Virginia basketball fans were supposed to sit back, relax and check out their "new" team, there were far too many nervous whispers reverberating throughout University Hall. Most diehard fans were left reaching for their Tums over the final minute or two.
In a game when the Cavaliers could have showcased their four new players, a new assistant coach and a revitalized defense, Virginia showed off only two of the three, leaving the fans (and media) wondering where was this new and improved defense.
Two years ago, Virginia absolutely demolished a relatively similar Long Island team by 46 points. This year's version of the Blackbirds was supposed to be significantly worse, picked by the Northeastern Conference to finish 10th in a league of 11 teams. If Long Island does indeed finish in the lower tier of the NEC, Cavalier fans could be in for a tumultuous season.
Coming off a year that featured a tough late season collapse, when the Cavaliers' lost 10 of their last 13, Virginia defense was a hot topic in the off season, because the Cavaliers regularly had allowed teams to shoot over 50 percent from the field. Enter new assistant coach Rod Jensen, one of college basketball's specialists at the defensive end of the court. He was brought to Virginia to shore up the defensive woes that have plagued the Cavaliers over the past four seasons.
Well, after Friday night, let's just say Virginia still is adjusting to Jensen's new scheme. Friday night's defense looked no better, if not worse, than what everyone saw at the end of last season. Long Island's guards, who were short and quick, penetrated with ease into the lane, able to either dish off to the open man for a layup or wide open three pointer.
The scary thing for Virginia fans is that Long Island did it the entire game. No apparent adjustments were made, and if you're trying to tell me this Long Island team has anywhere near the talent of the Virginia squad, then you're crazy. So why only a four point win, while other teams were killing cupcakes by 40 over the weekend?
There is no simple answer. Defense, three-point shooting, rebounding and hustle. Virginia was beaten in all areas Friday night and still came away with a win. A team with players no taller than 6-foot-7 simply shouldn't out-rebound an ACC squad with the talent that Virginia possesses. And three-point shooting, well, you just have to give Long Island credit. They played one hell of a game, as their coach believed all along.
"We came out and played hard," new Blackbirds coach Jim Ferry said. "We are trying to build a program here, and I just want our guys to come out and play hard. They did that tonight, and they won a lot of the '50-50' balls because of their hustle. Virginia might have been caught a little off guard."
Off guard is right. Virginia had no problem on the offensive end of the court, but when it came to defense, sometimes it appeared as if they were all "off-guard." While a lot of analysts believe the early season will be difficult for the Cavaliers, with so many new parts trying to gel, it is hard to get a real gauge of what the 2002-2003 season holds for the Cavaliers.
If Friday night is a true indication, then winter and spring might be difficult for hardcore fans. On the other hand, Virginia is one of the more talented teams in the ACC, and if it can follow Jensen's lead and track record and come together as a team, it could challenge for the conference title. After one game, it is simply too difficult to tell.
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