The undefeated Virginia Cavaliers (7-0) have flashed an offense that ranks in the top 10 in adjusted offensive efficiency, FTA/FGA, and three-point percentage.
This years team has quieted the narrative of the Cavaliers winning without style points but of the perception of being defensive based.
Head coach Tony Bennett’s team had brought the same type of fame to the pack-line defense that Pete Carril brought to the Princeton offense.
Not only has this year’s Cavaliers teams been impressive on the offensive side of the ball but they’ve done it against a challenging schedule.
The Cavaliers own wins against Baylor, Illinois, and Michigan.
Then Florida State came to town. Leonard Hamilton’s Seminoles have had success over the years against Bennett’s squad but this has been a down year in Tallahassee.
Not only aren’t the Noles looking like a team that will finish in the top-6 of the ACC. They’re looking like a team that won’t make the NIT.
The only way the Noles could compete with Virginia was to make it a rock fight. Take away that “new” Virginia look and drag them into a game that looked like a Bennett special from the past.
Florida State did just that and Virginia response was simple. We can still win that way.
In the 62-57 win over Florida State, Virginia held the visitors to 33% shooting.
Noles point guard Caleb Mills shot 2-8. Naheem McLeod and Jalen Worley spent the afternoon in foul trouble.
The Cavaliers offense wasn’t much better. Yes, Reece Beekman was hobbled coming in but, as a whole, the Noles switching 1-5 didn’t allow Virginia to get in a rhythm.
“The way they guard… that’s what makes it very interesting,” said Virginia head coach Tony Bennett. “They switch everything. One through five. And they force you to make plays”
That proved to be an issue all the way to the end as Florida State forced turnovers and got to within striking distance with less than a minute left.
But, for the Cavaliers, it might not have been a bad thing to revisit the “old school” way of winning.
