The Virginia basketball team suffered an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Duke basketball team recently at Cameron Indoor Stadium in a game Coach Tony Bennett's crew resolved to quickly forget as best as humanly possible.
Bennett's team isn't as talented as the 2019 national championship squad, but they're a virtual lock for the NCAA Tournament and a dark horse contender for the ACC Tournament title next weekend. The Cavaliers boast a balanced, mature and talented roster with leading scorer Reece Beekman leading the way on both offense and defense.
Here are three reasons why Virginia basketball is a popular sleeper bet to win the upcoming league tournament, which is being held in Washington, D.C.:
1. Reece Beekman-
The Cavaliers guard is the type of player Bennett has won surprise championships with the in the past. His smooth game and stone cold outer demeanor allow him to thrive when the pressure's on, in situations where lesser players would fold.
Beekman is a senior from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He averages a team best 14.1 points, 5.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game, showcasing his all-around game. If the Cavs do end up winning the ACC Tournament, it likely will be because Beekman was the best player on the floor. Beekman's 45.1 percent shooting clip is the best in his career, besting his mark from two years prior by .2 percentage points.
That's the sign of a player who has been saving his best for last for his Virginia basketball program and teammates. Beekman knows this is likely his final run in Charlottesville and an ACC Tournament would be the perfect way to cap off what has been a brilliant but under the radar type of career thus far with Coach Bennett's team.
2. Defense-
As the old saying goes, ‘defense wins championships,' and there is no better defensive team in the Atlantic Coast Conference than the Virginia Cavaliers.
The Hoos are giving up just 59 points per game this season which is roughly seven points better than second place finisher Notre Dame. There simply put is no other team that compares to Bennett's crew defensively and that is an advantage that no other team in the conference can boast.
With Beekman roaming the perimeter creating havoc and Ryan Dunn flanking him at the other guard position, the Cavs have a duo that can lock down opposing team's top scorers. With the bright lights of March shining down, anything is possible as long as those two are in the orange and blue.
Dunn's 1.3 steals and 2.4 blocks per game are Dwyane Wade-esque numbers that no other player can boast. He and Beekman have it in them to lead the Cavaliers all the way to the ACC Tournament title if they can simply focus on locking down opposing players and making the smart plays on offense.
3. The Team, The Team, The Team-
Bennett's Virginia basketball team is a rarity in today's college basketball because of how united they play, especially on offense. The Cavaliers are first in the ACC Conference in both turnover margin and assist to turnover ratio. It's a formula that helped Bennett and the Cavs win the 2019 National Championship.
While this year's team isn't seen as a national title contender, they have the type of system that will allow them to be in just about every game down the stretch. They take care of the basketball, trust each other and trust their coach completely.
Now is the time for Bennett, Beekman, Dunn and company to put it all together. If they can make it happen, a tournament run for the ages could result, the perfect cure for the winter blues in Charlottesville and a springboard to what could be a program reviving month of March as this season careens toward its inevitable, thrilling conclusion for Virginia basketball.
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