The identity of Dave Leitao’s first Virginia team was a scrappy, understaffed crew that had no fan expectations. The team had a few surprise wins and even managed to make a postseason tournament in the N.I.T.
So what is this year’s team identity?
Don’t ask them. They’re still trying to figure it out themselves.
Halfway into their season and entering into Atlantic Coast Conference play, Virginia is an erratic team. You and I (and maybe even Leitao) really don’t know what version of this team will show up on the court from night to night.
 ESPN analyst Dick Vitale says that with the wide-open ACC, the UVA men’s basketball team is "right in the mix"—as long as they’re consistent. |
Do you get the intense defensive performance and lights-out shooting from the Cavalier team that buried Gonzaga 108-87?
Or the team that played in a lesser gear four days later in a 76-75 loss to Stanford?
Longtime ESPN analyst Dick Vitale has kept an eye on this team early on in this season.
“I think they’re exactly where I’d thought they’d be. They’d have some shocking moments and same disappointing moments and I think that’s the case,” said Vitale. “David Leitao has got a good back court. [Sean] Singletary was absolutely incredible against Gonzaga when he put 37 on the board and prior to that I caught the game on the tube and watched them beat an outstanding Arizona team. They are two great wins but you got to come back and beat Stanford on your home floor. That, to me, is a loss they’d like to have back but those things happen and now they’ve got to go steal a win somewhere.”
Keyword: somewhere.
With Virginia returning home Tuesday, where the Cavaliers have tallied an 8-1 record, to face ACC foe Maryland, it needs to be pointed out the majority of this team’s issues have flared up on the road.
Struggle would be an understatement for this basketball team away from the John Paul Jones Arena. Including last Wednesday’s 79-69 loss in Chapel Hill to North Carolina, the Cavaliers’ lone road win came in the seventh place game of the San Juan Shootout against Puerto Rico-Mayaguez in December. Even that proved to be a seven point squeaker.
In his first year, Leitao’s only road wins came against Richmond and Virginia Tech. Prior to that in Pete Gillen’s final season, the team only salvaged a 2-9 road record
in 2004-05.
Six games still remain on the road, including North Carolina State and Clemson this month, and the last time I checked they don’t play a NCAA tournament game in Charlottesville this season.
So where does Virginia stack up in this conference?
“I think the middle’s wide open,” said Vitale. “I think there’s so many teams so equal and there’s so much balance there. Virginia’s right in the mix. Virginia, Florida State, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech—they could all beat each other. Even Duke! Duke, as we saw with Virginia Tech, Duke is no longer invincible.”
(Writers Note: Due to press time, this column was submitted before Virginia’s game at Boston College.)
Wes McElroy hosts “The Final Round” on ESPN 840. Monday-Friday 3pm-5pm.