Basketball experts often say one mark of a good team is the ability to go into hostile, enemy territory and return home victorious. If that is true, the Virginia men’s team will be attempting to prove it is better than its current 1-7 conference record would otherwise indicate when it travels to Tallahassee to take on Florida State (16-5, 3-3 ACC) tonight.
If most basketball seasons are like roller coasters, one could make the argument that the Cavaliers have been — oddly enough — on a permanent downslope. Despite starting the ACC campaign on a high note with a road victory against Georgia Tech, Virginia (7-12, 1-7) quickly plummeted back to earth and has lost seven straight conference games.
In the past two games, however, the Cavaliers have shown signs of perhaps reaching the bottom of the drop and beginning an ascent, partly thanks to their recent switch to a 3-2 zone on the defensive side of the ball. Against the heavily favored Tar Heels last Saturday, the Cavaliers managed to keep the game close throughout the first half before letting it slip away in the second, eventually succumbing 76-61 in Chapel Hill. Virginia will now test its new defense against a Seminole team that has performed better than expected, averaging nearly 70 points per game at home and currently riding a wave of momentum.
A big reason for Florida State’s success this season can be attributed to the sparkling play of senior point guard Toney Douglas. An offensive catalyst, Douglas leads the Seminoles in scoring, averaging more than twenty points per game this season. He also tops the team in assists per game and ranks fourth on the squad in rebounds.
Although the Cavaliers have appeared to play better in the zone recently, Virginia coach Dave Leitao believes that this tiny switch will not solve all of Virginia’s well-documented defensive woes.
“We’ve got to get committed to what will work for us,” Leitao said. “Ideally, I’d like to mix it up — play some full-court pressure, man-to-man, zone — kind of keep a team off-balance with your energy and your aggression and changing your defense.”
Despite Leitao’s reservations, at least one Virginia player believes sticking with the zone could be the key to saving what has been a disappointing season for the Cavaliers.
“We’re a big, long team, so we can get out to shooters quick,” freshman guard Sylven Landesberg said. “With extended arms, we make it hard for passing lanes to open up.”
Regardless of Virginia’s ability to execute on defense, the Seminoles may possess a psychological edge against the Cavaliers. In addition to defeating Virginia 73-62 in Charlottesville earlier this season, Florida State hasn’t lost to the Cavaliers since the 2006-07 season, when a Sean Singletary-led Virginia team narrowly pulled out a 73-70 victory. Virginia also has been dreadful on the road this season, compiling a less than stellar 1-6 record outside John Paul Jones Arena.
Leitao knows his squad must learn, and learn quickly, to win on the road if the Cavaliers wish to salvage what is left of their season.
“Obviously you play a great team on their court,” Leitao said. “You have to play, as we’ve been talking about, relatively mistake-free. You can miss a couple of shots, you can make a few fouls, but you’re going to have to make the plays that are available to you constantly.”
Time is running out for Virginia this season if it still wants to prove itself. If the Cavaliers wish to turn their season around, the upturn must begin with a strong defensive performance against the Seminoles.
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