He is just soooooo likeable.

From UVa:

No. 12 Virginia Drops Game 1 to No. 7 Louisville, 8-1
Game 2 set for 1 p.m. Sunday, with series finale slated for 7 p.m. Monday

The No. 12 Virginia baseball team dropped the opening game of its three-game series with No. 7 Louisville, 8-1, Saturday afternoon in front of 4,372 fans at Davenport Field. The Cardinals (23-7, 12-1 ACC) broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run seventh inning in winning the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Virginia (19-10, 6-7) managed just five hits against Louisville ace Kyle Funkhouser and reliever Sean Leland.

Virginia starter Nathan Kirby (Jr., Midlothian, Va.) worked 6 1/3 innings, giving up a career-high six earned runs, nine hits and two walks while striking out seven. He took the loss and fell to 4-2 on the year. Funkhouser (4-2) earned the win after pitching 7 2/3 innings and giving up one run, five hits and four walks with five strikeouts.

After stranding five baserunners over the course of the first three innings, Louisville broke through with a run in the fourth inning. Will Smith led off with a double to right-center and moved to third when Danny Rosenbaum grounded out to second base. Ryan Summers then hit a sacrifice fly to left field.

Virginia worked three walks from Funkhouser in the sixth inning to score a run. Adam Haseley drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a one-out walk to Matt Thaiss (So., Jackson, N.J.). Pavin Smith (Fr., Jupiter, Fla.) hit a two-out infield single to load the bases and Kevin Doherty (Jr., Laytonsville, Md.) coaxed a walk to force in Haseley.

Louisville came right back by scoring five runs in the top of the seventh. The Cardinals took the lead on a bloop RBI single to left-center by Devin Hairston and broke the game open when Corey Ray hit a grand slam into the bleachers in right-center field.

The Cardinals added a pair of unearned runs in the eighth inning.

Game 2 of the series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday. Live video will be available online at VirginiaSports.com as part of the Cavaliers Live subscription package. WINA 1070-AM will have the local radio broadcast.

Makes me so mad. How did we not show up. This MSU team is being exposed!
Posted from Rivals Mobile

If he can just find his shot like the bigs from Wisconsin boy we are playing this time next year!

Wouldn't you think he should try to be a little unbiased? "We, we, we" all the way. Didn't even have what it takes to shake hands and Chapman makes excuses for that too.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

Wisconsin defeats UK..

Malcolm just was recognized as part of the Good Hands team!! Congrats MB!!

From UVa:

B.J. Stith Leaving Virginia Basketball Program
Freshman guard to transfer after one season

Virginia men's basketball head coach Tony Bennett announced Friday (April 3) that freshman guard B.J. Stith (Lawrenceville, Va.) is leaving the Cavaliers' program.

"B.J. informed me during our player meetings that he is leaving the Virginia basketball program for a better opportunity for playing time," Bennett said. "B.J. worked hard, was a good teammate and played a role in our success this season. We wish him well in the future."

The 6-5 Stith averaged 1.0 points and 0.6 rebounds in 13 games at Virginia.

"It is with great sadness that I'm leaving the University of Virginia," Stith said. "I want to thank Coach Bennett, the entire basketball staff, my teammates and Cavalier Nation for allowing me to realize my life-long dream. The love I received from everyone associated with Virginia Basketball was overwhelming. I will forever be grateful for the support. However, I know in my heart that my steps have been ordered."

Now, off to my job. Building a deck on my home tomorrow, life continues.

Can I say 'we' now?


This post was edited on 4/3 1:37 PM by Arden918

situation now that Stith is leaving ?

It just dawned on me as soon as I read the BJ Stith news ... Adam Smith is the guy!

I'm sure we can make a million wise cracks about not wanting a Hokie, but the kid shot 42.5% on a high volume of threes, he's a dead eye shooter, hits them on the move as well as catch and shoot, and has immediate eligibility then he's gone in time for Guy and Jerome to arrive.

It's perfect. Who wouldn't want an ACC team's leading scorer and three-point shooter? I hope Tony & Co. are making calls. The kid's the perfect fit for what I think we need (we'll see if what I think is anywhere close to on the mark!).

Kudos for him staying and waiting his turn

Good things come to those who wait!

http://virginia.247sports.com/Bolt/Darion-Atkins-named-National-Defensive-Player-of-the-Year-36590267

Being reported in several Tidewater-area newspapers. See link

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-odu-stith-transfer-20150403-story.html

Many folks on this board seem to think we need to change our offensive style. I personally think that is absolutely incorrect. First we are not going to recruit better then teams such as Duke and Kentucky. If you look at UVA, we lost one game with JA hurt that we should have one. I feel that if this years team was injury free there is a good chance we could have won it all. Many of you feel that we need a change on offensive, that is ridiculous based on the amount of games we won with defense. It's proven. The problem is we lost our best scorer at a critical time of the season. Face it, we had bad luck with a injury in last years tournament lost and trying to recover from a injury in this years tournament lost to the same team. All I'm trying to say is I believe if we stick to the formula we can win it all. I'm sure Kentucky fans didn't give up on the formula just because they lost and they have their own set of challenges being that they play with a young team. Basically I believe we can win if we believe in defense first. Of course we have to have some offense but our offense is never going to be better then the Duke's and Kentucky's and many other teams. Throw in UNC as well. TB is defense first and that will never change. I'm just saying I Believe it's a good formula that will prevail at somepoint. When it does, we will see from there. Have a great day UVA fans

Could we have room for Drexel Guard Damion Lee he announced to transfer today and he will be eligible to play right away. He is a 6'6 guard/wing that averaged 21 points per game before getting hurt. He is a good shooter from three 38% and shot 43% from the field. Very good free throw shooter 89%. Would this hurt our scholarship situation in 2016 class.
This post was edited on 3/30 7:24 PM by DaWahoo32

Taylor chooses FSU
Posted from Rivals Mobile

I haven't been as in touch as in the past, and I am sure you have been asked and shared your opinion. Is Juan Thornhill good enough to play football and walk on for Bennett? Do you think he could play basketball if not for football? Is there any talk one way or the other?

Any truth to him talking to Texas about that job?

Not sure that is a great basketball fit for him, but I love Austin

If so, any serious traction with this guy? He looks fairly athletic and could help replace some of the athleticism we're going to lose when Justin graduates. By the way, I love those Wolfpacker vids - they show the bad with the good.

Per AP vote Bret Strelow, UVa's Malcolm Brogdon has been named to the Associated Press All-American second team.

AP All-America teams

Just heard in the 1st half of the Miami - Stanford game that this is Knight's last game broadcasting for ESPN. Had not heard he was leaving. What's up with that? Is is being let go, retiring? What do you folks on here think of him as an announcer? I have thought for a few years that his broadcasting style was getting old and too technical, but I sort of have liked him mostly as a broadcaster, though he grew old and tired with his iconic and hardline ways as a coach over his later years. Guess he will go back to chasing rabbits.

Between this cold I've been fighting (and losing the battle against) and Easter weekend, things are going to be a little quiet today and through the weekend.

We'll have a preview of the Louisville series up for you shortly as we begin the transition to baseball coverage. I'll be in Charlottesville for spring practice later this afternoon (we're only allowed to watch the first 45 minutes, so no full practice report) and of course if there's any break news we'll post it.

Otherwise, everyone enjoy their weekend and their time with family and reach out to me via email if you need anything.

Instagram from last night :

"I just want to be really really REALLY good at this sport!! Off-Season Grind Has already begun"


Obviously just speculation and NBA has an offseason too but this seems like a good sign for him returning.

Caught up with Riverbend offensive lineman Zach Adams following his visit to UVa on Saturday as the Cavaliers became the first school to offer the 6-foot-7, 305-pound tackle. As you might expect, it was a big day for Adams and his family.


Adams talks about picking up his first offer

Various reports this morning are out that Ritchie McKay is headed back to Liberty and that confirms rumblings last weekend from sources that he was taking a job within driving distance. I also fully expect that director of player development Brad Soucie will go with McKay back to Liberty, where he was an assistant coach from 2007-2009. So, Tony Bennett will have at least one assistant coach to hire as well as another spot within the program to fill.

I'll let you know when I start to hear names but I will caution that the names you might immediately jump to might not be as high on Bennett's list.