It was a test. A test of Virginia's ability to compete with the elite teams in the ACC. To determine which version of the pack-line defense reigns supreme in the conference. To see if the Cavaliers' stud defensive freshman could contain ACC Player of the Year candidate Ishmael Smith the second time around. But above all, Saturday's game against Wake Forest was a test of loyalty.
"I told the guys, I said, 'If we really have fans, they'll come out in the snow," freshman guard Jontel Evans said. "You see today, we had a lot of fans out there, lot of people rootin' for us."
Evans wasn't the only one who appreciated the support. Before the game started, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage addressed the fans. After declaring that Virginia is "gonna win the regular season in the ACC," - no pressure, guys - Littlepage thanked the fans for trudging through the snow to support coach Tony Bennett's team.
I believe the last time Littlepage addressed the student body in a similar manner was when he apologized for the, um, let's just say, less-than-desirable product his football and basketball teams were putting out onto the playing field last year. And that message may have been communicated through a highly structured e-mail designed to avoid 100 different potential lawsuits.
So I'd say this personal encounter was a step in the right direction for Littlepage.
His employees have adhered to the party line: Before the Virginia Tech game, football coach Mike London made an appearance on the Jumbotron, introducing himself to the fans, demonstrating his support for the basketball team and imploring the students to get loud - though I think London will come to learn that Virginia fans don't need much motivation to get pumped for a bout with the Hokies. Men's tennis coach Brian Boland followed suit the next home game against N.C. State. And the trend continued Saturday, when men's lacrosse coach Dom Starsia looked out at the crowd with an intense face that assured you - if you were ever uncertain - that Dom Starsia is a lacrosse coach and said, "Lacrosse season is coming, but let's get behind coach Bennett and his boys. Go 'Hoos!"
Maybe it's easy to rally behind a team that had continued to flirt with first place in the ACC through its first seven conference games - but that's neither here nor there. Bennett has proved his team will contend, so I think those appearances were more than just gimmicks. I think they were genuine attempts to unite the University community around a good cause.
What's more, the University couldn't have been more generous by inviting students who didn't have tickets to come to the game. The Public Address announcer took it a step further early during the first half when he welcomed fans to move from their cozy abodes in the nose-bleed section to the lower concourse to fill the empty seats.
The result? I couldn't tell any difference between the atmosphere created by the 5,988 people in attendance during Saturday's game and the one made by what was surely a sold-out crowd during the Tech game. And that's saying something.
Thoughts from Littlepage's most popular employee: "I wanna say thanks to the fans that came with the weather - that was unbelievable," coach Tony Bennett said. "That meant more to me and our team than you'll ever know, and I'm beginning to understand more and more what Virginia fans are about, that they would come out in that weather and support us and cheer like they did. It was a home-court advantage because of them, so I say thank you to them and sorry we didn't do our part. We battled hard, there's no question."
Ish Smith wasn't too happy.
"It kind of bugged me," Smith said, "kind of made me mad when the announcer said that everybody could come down, because that made the crowd even more raucous."
From the opening tip, JPJ was electric. Senior forward Jerome Meyinsse's shattering dunk off an Evans floating pass through the lane that gave the Cavaliers an early 9-4 lead. Sophomore guard Sammy Zeglinski's three from his favorite spot on the court - the Wachovia sign - which gave Virginia its 28th, 29th and 30th points with 4:49 left in the opening period, already doubling its first-half scoring output in a blowout loss in Winston-Salem Jan. 23. Even the missed dunk by Wake freshman center Tony Woods at the end of the half. All of these plays drew massive eruptions from the stands.
The crowd was even more alive during the second half, despite Virginia's dreadful display of offense: 6-of-28 from the field ain't gonna cut it.
The Cavaliers relinquished their five-point halftime lead but they kept crawling back. And for each bucket, forced turnover or solid defensive possession, there was a face-painted student jumping up and down, trying to imbue the team with new life, begging for a response.
So it was truly a team effort - the players, the fans and administrators. But every team has its leader and, if you ever had any doubts, Sylven Landesberg proved himself worthy, even in a loss. The numerous and-one drives when Virginia had nothing else going offensively. Two high-pressure free-throws with 2:26 left in the game to cut the deficit to one. A quick move through the lane that resulted in a goaltending violation by Al-Farouq Aminu, tying the game at 55 and eventually sending it to overtime. His 28 points carried the team - three more at the end might have propelled Virginia to victory.\nBut Ish was just as good, if not better. Apart from the bonehead that is Chas McFarland, who picked up a technical foul midway through the second half, Smith kept his team in order. He was Ty Lawson without a jumpshot, dazzling through the lane, blowing by Evans (at times) and scoring at will. He is, quite simply, an impossible matchup.
(A quick aside on McFarland: What precipitated that foul? My brother goes to Wake, so I asked him the general consensus on McFarland: "He's not worth writing about." But I digress.)\nThe 64-61 loss notwithstanding, the pieces are in place for success in Virginia. Take it from Wake coach Dino Gaudio.
"I am going to tell you something - Jontel Evans is as good a defender we have had on Ishmael Smith in a long time," Gaudio said. "That kid can really guard, he is a really good defender."\nSo even though this may not be the year Virginia wins the regular season in the ACC or makes its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the post-Singletary era, I think it's safe to say that basketball is back at Virginia. Evans said it best.
"Coach just keeps telling us to fight, never back down, never give up, just keep fighting ... At the end, either we win or lose, we're still a team - we're still a family."
After Saturday's game, I think you could say the same of the University community, too.
Read More
No. 4 field hockey shut out for first time of season in defeat at No. 2 North Carolina
By Eleanor Lynch | 8 hours agoThe Cavalier offense had its worst outing of the season as they were once again defeated by the rival Tar Heels.
Virginia football prepares for pivotal contest against North Carolina
By Ryan Weiner | 18 hours agoNeeding to keep pace in the race for a bowl game berth, the Cavaliers host a favorable matchup.
Men’s soccer set for ACC regular season finale against No. 5 Pittsburgh
By Mofeoluwa Akande and Ben Istvan | 18 hours agoThe Cavaliers upset a top-10 Pittsburgh team on the road two years ago — they will look to do it again Friday night.
