Pretty amazing that after 4 straight losses, UVA only drops to between 9 and 14 in all the major polls. You want to hear something else amazing? They received a first place vote in the USA Today poll.

Is that a sign of respect?

From UVa:

No. 7 Virginia Blanks Towson, 8-0
Cavaliers earn first shutout of 2015 season

The No. 7 Virginia baseball team picked up its first shutout of the season, 8-0, Tuesday evening against Towson on a beautiful afternoon at Davenport Field. Four Virginia pitchers combined to scatter seven hits, while Kenny Towns (Sr., Burke, Va.) went a career-best 4-for-4 with three doubles as the Cavaliers (13-5) racked up a dozen hits.

Every Virginia position starter reached base safely at least once, while eight recorded at least one hit. Ernie Clement (Fr., Rochester, N.Y.) added a pair of hits and had a great diving catch in center field that he turned into a double play in the fifth inning. UVa played error-free baseball in the victory.

UVa starter Alec Bettinger (So., Woodbridge, Va.) worked five innings and allowed five hits and no walks in earning the win to improve to 2-0 on the year. Jack Roberts (So., Richmond, Va.) tossed a pair of innings before David Rosenberger (Jr., Bethlehem, Pa.) and Josh Sborz (Jr., McLean, Va.) each pitched an inning to close out the win.

Towson starter Lee Lawler (0-3) allowed three runs (two earned) over 4 1/3 innings in taking the loss for the Tigers (2-14).

After two scoreless innings, Virginia scored off a Towson error with two outs in the third when shortstop Peter Bowles threw away a Matt Thaiss (So., Jackson, N.J.) grounder, allowing Towns to score from second.

UVa scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Pinero legged out a leadoff double and one out later Towns hit his second double, plating Pinero. Thaiss followed with an RBI single to right-center to knock Lawler from the game.

The Cavaliers doubled their lead with a three-run sixth inning. Pavin Smith (Fr., Jupiter, Fla.) knocked in Justin Novak (Fr., Tokyo, Japan) with a single. With one out and runners on first and second, UVa attempted a double steal, and Daniel Pinero (So., Toronto, Ontario) came home when catcher Brady Policelli's throw to third base sailed into left field. Towns then hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring Smith home and push the lead to 6-0.

UVa tacked on two runs in the eighth as Towns ripped his third double, a shot that bounced off the right-field wall, to score Adam Haseley (Fr., Windermere, Fla.), and Clement hit an RBI infield single.

Virginia played without head coach Brian O'Connor, who was serving the third game of his four-game suspension for bumping an umpire last Friday at Virginia Tech.

Virginia remains at home this weekend for a three-game series against No. 11 Florida State. The series consists of games at 5 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Ferber put together a story on the mindset of the team coming out of the loss to North Carolina and it sounds like the Cavaliers understand that in order to be successful, they have to get back to basics going into Friday's game.

Hoos have to get back to basics

Per CBS, UVa's game against Belmont Friday will air on TruTV about a half hour after the end of the Michigan State-Georgia game, which tips at 12:40 p.m.

anybody know of planned events etc..?

Anyone else nervous about Belmont? Let's be honest- how many games has it been since we put a whole game together? Great teams start to peak this time of year and I know we have had some unfortunate things happen, but we have to pick it up soon. I am in Mexico and fear landing back in the states Friday to hear we got upset by a 15. They can shoot the ball and if we don't take the game early and let these guys hang around and lose, the media will respect us less than they already do. We must get to the Eight this year for any respect.

One of the best in the business, Patrick Stevens joined the CavsCorner Podcast last night to talk about UVa's NCAA Tournament draw and walk through not only how the Wahoos fell to the No. 2 seed in the East but also what the rest of the region looks like. You'll definitely want to check out this episode.

CavsCorner Podcast: Episode 104 (32:19)

I'm moving to Virginia Beach tomorrow. Anybody know of a hoo-friendly bar to watch the tourney in the area?

Anyone have insider info about when the game will start on Sunday? Hoping it's not a 930 start like last year. Trying to plan the return to Richmond.

Does anyone else feel like one of our coaches should/will be a lading candidate to take the head coaching job at George Mason?

They had NOTHING but praise for UVA, along with Greenberg. I won't know until I see their predictions in print, but based off their praise, I wouldn't be surprised if ALL of them had UVA in the final four.

No link, just watch this week's program.

What is best UVA pub in DC/Arlington to watch Friday game? Preferably with audio.

From UVa:

Malcolm Brogdon Named USBWA All-American
Cavalier junior guard named to second team


Virginia junior guard Malcolm Brogdon (Atlanta, Ga.) was named a second-team All-American Monday (March 16) by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. It is the first All-America honor of Brogdon's career and the first USBWA honor for a Cavalier in 32 years.

Brogdon, who was a first-team All-ACC selection by both the media and coaches, leads the Cavaliers in scoring at 13.9 points per game and free throw percentage at 87.1 percent. He scored in double figures in 26 games, including four 20-point games, highlighted by a career-high 25 points against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament semifinals on March 13. Brogdon was also named the ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches.

Brogdon becomes the fourth Cavalier to be named a USBWA All-American. He joins Barry Parkhill (first team in 1971), Jeff Lamp (first team in 1981) and Ralph Sampson (first team in 1981, 1982 and 1983) as Virginia players honored by the organization.

The 2014-15 USBWA All-America first team consisted of Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky), Jerian Grant (Notre Dame), Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin), Jahlil Okafor (Duke) and D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State). Brogdon was joined on the second team by Bobby Portis (Arkansas), Seth Tuttle (Northern Iowa), Kyle Wiltjer (Gonzaga) and Delon Wright (Utah).

The Cavaliers (29-3) are the No. 2 seed in the East Region in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Virginia opens the tournament against No. 15 seed Belmont on Friday in Charlotte. Game time is approximately 3:10 p.m. and the game will be televised on truTV.


2014-15 USBWA Men's All-Americans

First Team:

Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky
Jerian Grant, Notre Dame
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin
Jahlil Okafor, Duke
D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State

Second Team:

Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia
Bobby Portis, Arkansas
Seth Tuttle, Northern Iowa
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Delon Wright, Utah

While I was intially surprised to see MSU as our second round game, and I believe their 7th seed is a joke (no way they should seeded lower than G'Town, Xavier and Providence), I am beginning to really like our bracket. Let's look at the big picture compared to the other numbers 1 and 2.

Round of 64 - No one has particularly tough game. Belmont is no better or worse of a match up than the other 1s and 2s face.

Round of 32 - We have by far the toughest game. KU has the second with WSU. Nova may also be challenged by the NSCU-LSU winner. The rest have pretty easy games.

Round of 16 - I think OU, Baylor and G'Town are the three easiest games. ISU and ND are much better 3 seeds. Plus Ville, UNC and MD would have been tougher games as 4 seeds then OU is as 3 seed.

Round of 8 - If you had to pick who you would want to play among the top 8, I think Nova is as good as it gets as a matchup for us. Wisconsin-Zona will be a war if they meet and even Duke who has an easy road to the final 8 may have to play the Zags-ISU winner.

Final 4- Do not have to play UK.

Bottom line, we can bitch about playing MSU, but they are not the same team. I would much rather have a tough round of 32 then play the toughests teams in the round of 16 like we did last year or in the round of 8. Looking at the big picture, I really like our bracket. In fact, I think our guys will relish a rematch with MSU if it happens (there is no guarantee MSU gets by Georgia).

Getting ready to get started here in Charlottesville with UVa's Tony Bennett, Malcolm Brogdon, and Darion Atkins. Check this thread for notes in a few...

In case you missed it on the page, check out this video interview from the ACC Tournament with UVa junior guard Justin Anderson, who talks about how he felt being back on the floor, why seeding in the NCAA Tournament is "irrelevant" to the Cavaliers, why he was so impressed with Malcolm Brogdon, and so much more.

CavsCorner Video: Justin Anderson

The Selection Show is getting ready to go. We'll have all of the info here for you as soon as it's released.

As always, have at it folks...

Real time RPI has UVA at 28-4 and down to #7. I think they need to do a little recalculating.

Did Duke get an unjustifiably easy , easy draw

From UVa:

Virginia Drops Sunday Finale at Virginia Tech 6-5
Eighth-inning Virginia Tech home run completes Hokies' comeback win

Alex Perez hit a two-out, two-run home run in the eighth inning to lift Virginia Tech to a 6-5 victory over the Virginia baseball team Sunday afternoon at English Field in Blacksburg, Va. The Hokies (10-9, 4-2 ACC) won all three games in the series as Virginia (12-5, 2-4) was swept for the first time since April 13-15, 2012, against North Carolina.

Virginia finished with a dozen hits, as Kevin Doherty (Jr., Laytonsville, Md.) and Adam Haseley (Fr., Windermere, Fla.) each finished with three hits. Doherty had three run-scoring hits, including his first career home run, and racked up three RBI. Haseley recorded his second straight three-hit game out of the leadoff spot in the batting order. Daniel Pinero (So., Toronto, Ontario) added a two-run home run for UVa.

Virginia reliever Josh Sborz (Jr., McLean, Va.) took the loss and dropped to 1-1 after his two innings of relief. Connor Coward (1-0) earned the win with 2 2/3 innings of relief, while Packy Naughton stranded a runner at first in the ninth inning in earning his first save.

Virginia starter Brandon Waddell (Jr., Houston, Texas) worked six innings, allowing four runs (three earned) and six hits while striking out six. Virginia Tech starter Jon Woodcock pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up four earned runs, nine hits and a walk while striking out four.

With a stiff breeze blowing straight out to center field throughout the day, both teams used the long ball to score. The Hokies took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Erik Payne's solo blast to left-center, and UVa countered in the fourth on a Doherty solo homer to left-center.

Virginia took a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning as Haseley reached on an infield single and Pinero followed with a two-run home run to left-center, his fourth homer of the season.

Virginia Tech responded by scoring three times in its half of the fifth. With runners on second and third base and one out, Waddell uncorked a wild pitch to score Sean Keselica. One out later Saige Jenco slapped an RBI single to left. Jenco moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Matt Thaiss (So., Jackson, N.J.). Jenco then scored on Waddell's third wild pitch of the inning.

UVa tied the game in the next half inning on an RBI double to right-center by Doherty, with Ernie Clement (Fr., Rochester, N.Y.) coming all the way around from first base to score. The Cavaliers took the lead in the eighth inning. With one out, Thaiss was hit by a pitch, and he moved to third on a Clement single to right. Doherty then lined a single to right-center to bring Thaiss home.

Virginia countered in its half of the eighth with two runs as Perez hit a towering fly ball into right-center. The ball carried in the winds and sailed out for a two-run home run, his third homer of the season, with Matt Dauby scoring on the play.

Virginia returns home at 5 p.m. Tuesday to play Towson in the first of five straight home games at Davenport Field. UVa plays host to No. 18 Florida State next weekend.

The weekend series was part of the Commonwealth Clash between Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Hokies earned a point by clinching the baseball series, but UVa still holds a 7.5-6.5 lead overall.

The Commonwealth Clash presented by Virginia529 is a head-to-head, points-based competition between the athletic teams at University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Commonwealth Clash encourages a friendly, statewide rivalry between the two schools across all school-sponsored sports with 21 individual event points on the line. Fans are also encouraged to support their team through a fan-based point. The school that accumulates 11.5 points or more will be crowned the winner and take home the Virginia529 Commonwealth Clash trophy. Visit www.TheCommonwealthClash.com for more information and updated standings.

Good - The coliseum at Greensboro was convenient and easy to find.
Bad - I winced every time I had to pay $20 to park.

Good - My seats were exactly at mid-court.
Bad - My seats were in row Y, so I was looking out for low flying airplanes.

Good - There was a good view of the action on the court.
Bad - There was a fan in the row in front of me who sat on the front of his seat and leaned forward thereby blocking the view of whoever was sitting directly behind him. He did not always sit forward; sometimes he stood up to talk on his phone.

Good - We ate once at Stamey's Barbecue. The food was very good and reasonably priced.
Bad - It was necessary to leave the coliseum before the game was over in order to avoid a very long line.

Good - UVA defeated FSU in a game which might have been essential to secure a #1 seed.
Bad - UVA lost to UNC in a game that we could have won.

They only one decent game all year, Utah, and that was at home. They get in and that means no way Miami gets in. UNC to the West with Wiscy.

Getting ready to spend a few minutes on the teleconference line with UVa head coach Tony Bennett following the NCAA Tournament announcements tonight. Check this thread in a bit.

Also of note: Bennett and both Darion Atkins and Malcolm Brogdon are scheduled to speak with media members in Charlottesville tomorrow. We're planning to have on-site coverage for you tomorrow afternoon as well.