For the first time in six years, the Virginia men's basketball team finds itself in uncharted waters, the NCAA Tournament. This marks the first time Virginia has received a bid to the tournament since the 2000-01 season, and it is the highest seed the Cavaliers have received in the tournament since 1995. Virginia, the No. 4 seed in the southern region, will face No. 13 seed Albany in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday at 12:15 pm.
The Cavaliers' No. 4 seed marks another accomplishment for Dave Leitao, ACC coach of the year. Leitao has led Virginia (20-10, 11-5 ACC) to the tournament in only his second year with the program.
"I'm very pleased to be a No. 4 seed," Leitao said. "It's a great tribute to the team, but at the same time we have to realize that there are a lot of very difficult challenges ahead."
Although Albany is the No. 13 seed, it will likely present quite a challenge. The Great Danes (23-9, 13-3 American East) won the America East Conference Tournament for the second year in a row and thereby received the conference's automatic bid. Albany defeated top-ranked Vermont in the title game to earn its second straight NCAA Tournament berth. Leitao has a significant amount of experience with the America East, as a player and a coach, and his experience will likely help the Cavaliers prepare for the contest.
"I know they are a two-time NCAA participant," Leitao said. "Having played and coached in the America East, I know how competitive it is. They are a veteran team and they are going to come in with a very high air of confidence."
Albany is led by senior guard Jamar Wilson, the America East Conference player of the year. This marks the second straight year Wilson has received the conference's top individual honor. He averages 18.6 points per game and five assists per game. Covering the star guard will likely prove to be quite a handful for the Cavaliers. Additionally, in the 2006 NCAA Tournament -- as the No. 16 seed -- Albany gave No. 1 seed Connecticut significant problems and even held a lead down the stretch.
"They gave Connecticut a very difficult game last year and almost won," Leitao said. "So we're going to have to make sure that we are prepared psychologically for a heck of a fight."
Leitao and the rest of the Virginia coaching staff have been preaching a last game attitude and mentality to the team, as a loss to Albany would end the Cavaliers' season. For Virginia to pull out a victory, it will need to stop the dynamic and creative play of Wilson. It will also need to find ways to beat the Danes' stingy defense, led by junior guard Brian Lillis, America East defensive player of the year.
"Like Coach said, this could be our last game," senior guard J.R. Reynolds said. "So we have to treat it like that."
At this point, every team in the tournament is in the same boat. Just one loss means elimination, whereas a win will prolong a team's tournament life. And as last year's example of George Mason can attest, every team is capable of going the distance.
"Like everybody, [Albany] is playing for their life," junior guard Sean Singletary said. "We know they'll compete. We're going to compete"
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