It wasn’t simple, and it most actually wasn’t fairly, however the Virginia Cavaliers defeated Boston School 66-60 in time beyond regulation to advance to the ACC Event semi-finals and decide up an enormous victory for his or her NCAA Event hopes. Virginia’s beginning backcourt shot simply 5-25 from the ground and the workforce went 8-18 from the free throw line, however they managed to search out simply sufficient scoring from position gamers — Jake Groves’s 15, Taine Murray’s 11 and Andrew Rohde’s 8 — to hold round in a defensive slugfest. A Mason Madsen bounce shot on the buzzer compelled time beyond regulation and almost despatched the Cavaliers house, however the ‘Hoos took over and pulled away in time beyond regulation, outscoring the Golden Eagles 9-3 within the further interval. The Cavaliers will tackle NC State at 9:30 EST in a recreation to go to the ACC Event finals in opposition to the winner of North Carolina and Pitt.
5 takeaways from the definition of “survive and advance” in Washington D.C.:
Protection made all of the distinction
What else is new: the 2024 Virginia Cavaliers eked out an in depth win they didn’t totally deserve because of a fully stifling defensive efficiency. After a scorching taking pictures begin for the Golden Eagles within the first half, UVA completely clamped down within the second and took away any potential house from sharpshooters Claudell Harris Jr. (14 factors on 16 FGA) and Mason Madsen (9 factors on 14 FGA). Over the ultimate 19:19 of recreation time, Boston School gamers not named Quinten Publish scored precisely twice: a buzzer-beating two to drive time beyond regulation and a late three to chop into UVA’s lead as soon as the sport was almost determined. And Reece Beekman pulled his typical disappearing act on the opposing lead guard, as Jaeden Zackery had zero house to do something all recreation lengthy and completed with simply 5 factors.
The story of the sport, although, was Jordan Minor’s protection on Quinten Publish. Minor obtained a number of quick rotation stints early within the recreation, however his gradual closeouts allowed Publish a number of open threes which led to fast hooks for the Merrimack switch. Nevertheless, as soon as Ryan Dunn picked up two late fouls and Blake Buchanan demonstrated an incapability to deal with Publish down low, Bennett referred to as again to the pen for Minor to protect Publish. Maybe it was the Boston School large’s drained legs, or maybe the second was too large for him, however Jordan Minor gained each single one-on-one matchup within the put up late within the second half and time beyond regulation. His block on a Publish fadeaway early in time beyond regulation set the tone for the ‘Hoos within the interval — an OT the place they allowed only one made shot. Publish completed with a good 23 factors, however Minor’s skill to fully shut off his water late within the recreation proved decisive.
No Tony Bennett workforce will ever stoop to the acute stage of the 2020 defense-only squad, however this workforce is giving that unit a run for its cash. The Cavaliers entered tonight seventh in KenPom defensive effectivity and simply 193rd on offense; no superior stat has ever matched the attention take a look at so effectively. Nevertheless, the way in which UVA pulled collectively down the stretch to clamp and pull off a comeback despite their complete incapability to place the ball within the basket was nothing wanting unbelievable.
Reece Beekman and Isaac McKneely went ice chilly
Reece Beekman and Isaac McKneely selected absolutely the worst time of the season to place up the worst mixed taking pictures efficiency of their careers. They completed 5-25 from the ground (20%), 2-11 from three, and even threw in two large missed free throws for good measure. McKneely actually struggled in opposition to Devin McGlockton’s off-ball stress and denial, unable to search out any house for clear seems all through the sport. Solely as soon as McGlockton fouled out leaping at an IMac three-point try and McKneely drew the Donald Hand Jr. task was he capable of run his opposing guard into the mover-blocker maze of screens to generate clear seems. Beekman couldn’t get his typical midrange recreation going in any respect and noticed his bounce shot completely desert him all night time. Only some sturdy drives early within the second half saved his scoring complete considerably respectable — although any criticism of Beekman must be certified by the truth that he additionally recorded 11 assists to only two turnovers.
On the similar time, the pictures Virginia’s backcourt combo did make proved completely back-breaking after they did come. In time beyond regulation, Beekman and McKneely did each air-ball vast open threes off an offensive rebound and ATO, respectively. Nevertheless, additionally they knocked down the 2 greatest threes of the sport: McKneely curling round a Minor display on the wing to interrupt the impasse and put UVA forward 60-57, and Beekman hitting on the shot-clock buzzer to place the ‘Hoos up six with lower than two minutes to play. After that make, Reece appeared to shrug as if amazed to lastly see one go down. Who can blame him? Beekman and McKneely’s struggles have been a giant cause UVA was in such a dogfight within the first place, however at the least they knocked down their threes after they actually did matter late.
Virginia rolled with the punches
Claudell Harris Jr. began the sport completely scorching scorching for Boston School following his 27-point efficiency final night time in opposition to Clemson. Earlier than the ‘Hoos knew what had hit them, a transition triple plus two good motion threes propelled Harris Jr. to a 3-for-3 begin and 9 fast factors. A usually anemic offensive begin for the ‘Hoos paired with a late-clock Quinten Publish three handed the Golden Eagles a 10-point lead inside 5 minutes of the opening tip.
All recreation, Boston School appeared to have solutions. When Virginia took a 23-22 lead late within the first half, Mason Madsen rapidly answered with a motion three over McKneely. When Taine Murray knotted issues up at 37 with a triple within the second half, Quinten Publish ghosted a ball display and located room for a solution over Jordan Minor. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers merely hung round and continued to make issues troublesome for Boston School on the offensive finish — the water shut off nearly fully for everybody not named Quinten Publish after the under-16 timeout. We’ve seen the ‘Hoos fold within the face of scorching taking pictures just like the Golden Eagles’ 4-4 begin from three or 6-13 mark within the first half, and whereas it wasn’t fairly, on the very least they hung round to offer themselves an opportunity tonight.
Bench scorers stepped up
In mild of Beekman and McKneely’s struggles, the ‘Hoos desperately wanted their bench to choose up the slack. On the finish of the day, their rotation guards obtained the job performed. Andrew Rohde — to the shock of each Virginia basketball fan — instantly knocked down a 3 when he entered the sport following the under-12 timeout and propelled a 7-0 run for the ‘Hoos. Rohde had made two threes in a single recreation simply as soon as over his earlier 10, however matched that mark after just some minutes on the court docket in an uncharacteristically assertive efficiency. It’s so much simpler to understand his good passing on offense (one nice dump-off to Ryan Dunn didn’t present up on the stat sheet however would’ve been a superb help) and positioning on protection when the pictures sometimes go in; as we speak, although Rohde did end with simply eight factors on 2-6 from three, he did sufficient.
Taine Murray supplied an analogous go off the bench which was maybe extra predictable than Rohde’s however simply as crucial. He actually has developed an ideal straight-line-drive recreation going to his proper, scoring three buckets with related strikes off catch-and-drives and solely lacking when he tried to change issues up and go up sturdy together with his left. Murray additionally knocked down a giant three early within the second half to tie the sport. He didn’t do a lot down the stretch as Tony Bennett leaned on a extra defensive-minded lineup, however 11 factors on 5-6 from the sphere is one thing the ‘Hoos will take each single day if they will get it. Even Dante Harris, who entered the sport under 25 p.c on midrange bounce pictures, knocked down each of his off-the-dribble jumpers.
The Cavaliers survive and advance
Over the previous 36 hours, Virginia’s facet of the ACC Event bracket was blown vast open by two main upsets. The primary got here final night time as Boston School pulled away from Clemson late for a 76-55 victory within the 6-11 recreation, setting UVA as much as face the Golden Eagles tonight. Then, 10-seed North Carolina State pulled off a 74-69 upset over 2-seed Duke. Whereas the highest half of the bracket stays chalk with #1 North Carolina going through #4 Pittsburgh within the first semifinal tomorrow, the underside half was there for the taking.
To say the ‘Hoos seized the chance could be a very deceptive description of a recreation which really felt like an affront to basketball down the stretch. Nevertheless, on the finish of the day, UVA obtained the job performed. Not solely did they win, however additionally they outperformed the forecasts of each projection system for this recreation, which usually favored UVA by one level — ever so barely helpful for his or her predictive metrics. There’s actually a facet of luck to all of this; if Mason Madsen’s foot is six inches additional again on his buzzer-beating basket, Virginia’s headed to the NIT proper now. However the Cavaliers inexplicably proceed to intestine out shut video games and now stand only one win from the ACC Event finals.