On Feb. 14, 2004, a point guard generously listed at 6-feet sunk a three-pointer, his only bucket of the afternoon, with 2.4 seconds left to lead Virginia to an 82-80 win over No. 15 Georgia Tech.
On Feb. 21, with 16 seconds left, the same player hit the game's winning three point shot to defeat Clemson, 58-55.
On Feb. 24, that very same player dropped that same decisive shot, a three-pointer, to lead the Cavaliers to a 74-72 win over No. 12 North Carolina.
That three-game stretch was the longest glimpse of winning over ranked opponents Cavalier fans enjoyed in the 18-13 season. The shooting hand behind the three game-winning shots belonged to former Virginia point guard Todd Billet.
"It was a great time, those three games," Billet said. "I have a lot of great memories from those games. It was kind of strange being in that same situation three times and kind of remarkable. Being able to take those shots and to make them was an incredible feeling for a player. It is something that I will always remember and will always be a great memory."
Billet, a Rutgers University transfer who played for the Cavaliers for the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, helped provide Virginia fans excitement and consistent guard play. His achievements will not be recorded with the all-time greats in Virginia basketball history, but his fantastic days in February will be remembered in the memories of Virginia fans for some time.
Todd Billet "will be known for his shooting ability," Virginia Athletic Director Craig Littlepage said. "But generally, [Billet] was a [player] who got the most out of his talent and ability, a [player] who came every day and played hard on both ends of the floor,a [player] who did what was needed to contribute to the team's success."
In the closing seconds of a game, as players become worn and beat, there is added pressure to perform, especially in a tie game. A player's confidence, experience and skill are all factors that affect the lightning-quick decision-making of a late-game shooter. Billet's skill as a perimeter shooter throughout his college career at Rutgers and Virginia, provided him with the confidence to take the game-winning shot even though, in some cases, he did not have the hottest hand.
After transferring from Rutgers, where he set the single season three-point record at 82, Billet sat out the 2001-2002 season in accordance with NCAA regulations.
"Transferring school was a tough transition," Billet said. "Everyone was nice and helpful in the adjustment period, so it was pretty fast. I had a great time going to school and meeting different types of people in class and in basketball. It was the great experience developing relationships with coaches and players
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