As the final seconds ticked away from Virginia’s NIT quarterfinal game, coach Tony Bennett wrapped Jontel Evans in a hug.
NIT quarterfinal games rarely assume any enduring meaning, but Virginia’s loss to Iowa left me with a pervasive sense of sadness. After the game, I heard underclassmen repeatedly reassure themselves to “Just wait until next year.” But for those of us who will be gone next year, that sentiment is somewhat bittersweet. My second and third year, I covered the basketball team for this paper and watched every game from the press area.
Commercial breaks between NCAA Tournament games often depict unrealistic scenes. AT&T squeezes Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson into preschool-sized chairs.
Allegedly, the “hot hand” in basketball is merely a myth. Researchers from Cornell and Stanford University studied NBA shooting records and conducted a controlled experiment with college athletes to conclude, “the outcomes of previous shots influenced [players’] predictions but not their performance.” Essentially, making one shot does nothing to increase the odds of sinking the next.
Virginia women’s lacrosse coach Julie Myers announced Wednesday seven top high school recruits have indicated they plan to play for Virginia. Four of the recruits already boast extensive experience as teammates.
Both senior linebacker Steve Greer and offensive tackle Oday Aboushi close their Virginia careers as the conference’s best at their respective positions.
Fans should look beyond in-game decisions in evaluating college coaches.
Maryland University announced today it will join the Big Ten and depart from the conference it once helped found.
At times last year, Mike Scott became synonymous with the 2011-12 Virginia men’s basketball team. After missing the bulk of the previous season with injury, Scott transformed Virginia from a 16-15 ACC also-ran into a 22-10 March Madness participant. With his return, Scott provided more than just the depth Virginia desperately lacked in the post.
The Virginia swim & dive team hosts its last home meet until January this weekend, as diving welcomes South Carolina Friday and swimming competes in a dual meet against the Gamecocks Saturday. While Virginia swept its first two opponents easily, South Carolina has floundered against a slate of strong opponents this fall. The Gamecocks’ women’s swimming team is still searching for its season’s first win after losing lopsided contests against No.
