When Majestic Mapp entered Thursday's game against Wake Forest, he found his team in a dangerous position.
The Cavaliers were the losers of three in a row and had struggled for the first 13 minutes and 17 seconds of the game, as they faced a six-point deficit against the 17th ranked team in the country. To put it mildly, things were not looking very promising.
Amazing what a little 'majic' can do.
Nicknamed 'majic' by his teammates and friends, Mapp had an immediate impact on the game, beginning with a deep three-pointer from the wing, pulling Virginia within five points only 20 seconds after Majestic checked into the game.
While that would be the last time Mapp would score in 17 minutes of play, his impact would be felt all over the court for the rest of the game.
While Mapp was on the court, Virginia outscored Wake Forest by an astounding 20 points. What does that statistic mean with the No. 17 team in town? Mapp can flat out run a team. Never hailed as a great shooter or scorer, the 5-foot-11 Harlem native was recruited by head coach Pete Gillen for just that reason - his ability to distribute the ball and command the offense.
"His teammates love playing with him because he knows how to get them the ball," Gillen said. "We weren't sure how much Majestic was going to be able to play, but he sure did give us a big lift. He played a great game, because he really knows how to control an offense."
In the second half, Virginia's man-to-man looked as good as it has all year. Wake Forest's superstar, forward Josh Howard, couldn't find a good look, hitting only four of his 14 shots in the second half.
Mapp's presence wasn't only felt on the offensive end, as he fired up his teammates and the crowd on defense.
During dead ball breaks, Mapp could be seen firing up the crowd with a smile on his face. It was an amazing sight.
Why so amazing, you may ask?
Before Thursday against Wake Forest, Mapp hadn't seen significant action in almost two years, which included four surgeries on his left knee. Before the season, Mapp's knee was acting up again, and he was almost ready to call it quits for the final time.
"It was hurting a good bit," Mapp said. "We weren't sure what I was going to do at that time. Thank God that I went and saw a few doctors, and they said all I had to do was strengthen the knee some. A couple of months later, here I am playing significant minutes. It's amazing. But I'm not done yet."
Virginia will need Mapp to continue his emotional and inspirational play for the rest of the season if they hope to make the NCAA tournament.
It is true that Mapp's play led to a win at home, but can he lead a team that has only sporadically played well away from University Hall to some extremely important road wins over the remainder of the season? It's too early to tell.
Virginia's biggest game of the season might be coming up in a week when the Cavaliers travel down to Georgia Tech where they will have to steal a win on the road. Virginia is only 3-6 on the road, with only one win at a true road venue - the other two came at neutral Maui. Cavalier fans are waiting with baited breath to see if Mapp can help them do what no Gillen team has consistently accomplished in his tenure: win on the road.
The win over Wake Forest "was a really big win," Mapp said. "But we have to go and win on the road. We can't be content with [Thursday's] game, because we have a long way to go. This is just the beginning."
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