From UVa:

Bennett Named USBWA National Coach of the Year
Bennett earns honor after leading Cavaliers to ACC regular-season title and school-record tying 30 wins

Sixth-year Virginia head coach Tony Bennett was named 2014-15 U.S. Basketball Writers Association Henry Iba National Coach of the Year, announced Monday (March 23) by USBWA. The award is based on regular-season performance.

Bennett guided Virginia to a 30-4 overall record and a 16-2 ACC finish that produced the program's second consecutive outright regular-season conference title. The 30 wins matched the school record set in 1982 and 2014.

The Cavaliers, who were picked to finish fourth in the ACC, became the first ACC school to win 16 or more games in back-to-back seasons. Bennett's Cavaliers lead the nation in scoring defense at 51.5 points per game and Virginia has been ranked in the top 10 the entire season.

Under Bennett's guidance, Virginia secured its third straight season with 23 or more wins for the first time since 1981-83. Bennett's career mark at Virginia is a stellar 136-64 (.680 winning percentage).

Bennett, the Henry Iba Award winner in the 2006-07 at Washington State, is the ninth coach to earn the award more than once and the second to win it at two different schools. Roy Williams has won the award at Kansas (1990) and North Carolina (2006). The legendary John Wooden was named the USBWA National Coach of the Year six times, joining five other coaches to win it twice (Lou Carnesecca of St. John's, John Chaney of Temple, Gene Keady of Purdue, Bob Knight of Indiana, Ray Meyer of DePaul and Fred Taylor of Ohio State).

In case you missed it earlier on the front page, our video interview with senior forward Darion Atkins is linked below. He talks about the loss to Michigan State, what he thought was the difference, how he views his UVa career now that it's over, and what he thinks his legacy will be for the Cavaliers.

CavsCorner Video: Darion Atkins

NM

I'm reposting this from another post I wrote not sure is anyone is interested or not but I post it just incase.

I made it and from my untrained eye I would say there were about 200 or so in attendance. I'll give you my best take on it (I'll apologize in advance since I was mostly watching the DB's) Practice seemed as organizes as usual. Very deliberate and nicely planed. they did a lot more 11 on 11 than I expected. The guys looked to happy to finally be in pad. Of course there wasn't full contact but the hits that would have been delivered looked to be in good form. A lot of the guys looked to have put on some muscle. Guys that come to mind Trent Corney looked like a Heman action figure, Andrew Brown looks to have put in some work during the off season. He looks slimmer and more compact. I can't remember more specifics but there were countless more.
From what I saw of the linemen O and D they looked to be mixing it up really nice. In fact it got a little chippie towards the end of practice between Brown and a OL player ( I didn't see the number but it was a big pill up when it was all said and done.)
OB's put in some nice work from what I can tell it Lambert, Johns, and Cutler(in that order). All three threw some nice balls I was happy to see that.
RB's had some nice runs and some really nice catches from the back field. There was a lot of north south running not a lot of dancing and juking. I notice a emphasis on finishing runs even after the whistle was blown.
WR looked as strong as usual. I have to Sevrin, Thorpe (transfer from UNC), Terrell, Dockins had some very nice catches. IMO the more the guys work together with the QB's I think they will make some nice plays this year.
LB's had some nice plays I'm not sure who started but there were some plays of note from Stalker, and Kiser the other nice plays I can't remember the numbers of the guys.
DB's look like they are coming together nicely everyone was flying to the ball and had some nice plays. I have to admit Canady looks really comfortable at safety, and The rotation from the other player (can't remember their number sorry) did well.
There wasn't a lot of special teams work but from what I saw there is still a completion between the punters. I was a few good hang time from a few of them.
The coaches were all on the same page and were very vocal on good and bad plays. All in all IMO a very good first day of pads.
There are probably some things I have forgotten but that's what I remember at the moment.

all have one thing in common - they came to Hall of Fame coaches. Think about that. We are in very good hands. The future is very bright.

Team seems like they cant come out for the BIG games. Looks like we tuck our chins in tight and absorb the blows and swing back every now and then. My thoughts on the players:

MB killer instinct needs to start once they jump for the ball. Attack!!!! Seems to not want to be involved with a lot of contact consistently.

JA will need to learn how to dribble

LP will have to tighten up on his defense and look to score more often

EN - Find your stroke please get those feet faster.

Shayock need more PT keep that mid-range going (he has the ability to dribble penetrate)

Hall - more PT

Watkins - Keep learning and working hard.

Toby - Practice with the hockey team to get some fight and aggressiveness about yourself

Gill - Gotta bang no matter the opponent

DA - Always came to play

Well deserved recognition for what he accomplished his year.

darion atkins called his fourth foul a 'terrible call' claimed he wanted it more than other guys & said uva 'played like a bunch of p*ssies


This is why I like DA. We got pushed around and beat on the glass

Guys, I don't think everyone looked at this game based on basketball, but seemingly, more on the seeding. When it came out I said on here that this game was a tough draw for us both, and I thought it would be THE game that decided if we went to the Final Four. Why would you say that about a 7 seed? Because, I don't know that I have ever thought a teams seed was worse than what MSU got this year. Problem is, it obviously works 2 ways. We played a team with several 5 star recruits, a senior guard that is playing his ass off, is always physical, has a great, great coach and plays the season in preperation for the NCAA tourney. Guys look it up, 7 of the last 8 years they have played the second weekend, 7 of 8. Izzo is now 20-4 in the second game of the weekend, which tells me they come in and do what they have been doing and just do it really well. Not a lot of adjustments, just hard nosed, though, physical and smart. Add some offensive skill and the mammoth set of balls Tristan Trice has and you have a perfect recipe for March Success. Even more, I thought barring a missed call last Sunday they would have
beaten Wiscy and come into the tourney with one March loss, g (and a better seed) that also being to Wisconsin at Wisconsin. Get past the seeding and you know we lost to a dam good team today. They got several points off of, not questionable, but wrong calls and outscored us by 5 from behind the arc(not counting the late meaningless 3) and that was the difference. I felt we had to not just play well, but great to win today and that would have included shooting at least 40%, and we obviously didn't. IMO, there was no choke, we have had lots of games where we didn't shoot very well, especially since Justin got hurt. Otherwise, we played fine. Combine a team that struggles to shoot vs an excellent defense, and you shoot 30%, it's how it works, it's not choking. Give them credit, because I hope one day we have guys just like TT who says "I got this"and that he will be surrounded by enough offensive skill to score against good D, because that requires skill more than scheme.
Until then, we will not be an elite tourney team, just face it.









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Happy about that. Get back on track.

Nfm

Any doubt about our program and future can be put to rest- just listen to Coach Bennett's press conference. TB gets it and is already working out the adjustments and changes necessary to get us to the National Championship.



http://virginiasportstv.com/mensbasketball/1UuA

Until we can get that 4 man who can make teams guard him outside, we must adjust and get away from mover blocker. The group we have now needs to free lance a little more. All the curls and stuff are nice, but when we can't score from the outside I think it wears us down as a team.

TB has to look in the mirror and let us freestyle a bit. I know he tried it last year and it didn't work, but we got beat today at our own game by Mich State the way they defended.

61-11 the last two years, but beat by the same team in the tourney. Have to adjust to get past the Sixteen in the future.

This was a tough way to end what was a spectacular season. But one thing I have come to understand about Tony Bennett- like any great coach, he learns he adapts and he improves. Today Virginia was "out virginiad" but a better tougher version of ourselves. Last time that happened- last year at MSG. Two losses to our long lost twin program.

So what does TB take from this loss and the end of the season? I think he will finally start to open up the offense, and use the depth that he has recruited to become the asset that it should be.

Lets look back. TB comes to C'ville where he inherits a program that has some talent but NO direction, some meager success but mired in mediocrity. First year he sets the tone- dismisses Landesberg and signs a big class with few stars, because TB needs bodies and he can only be so selective.

By his 3rd year he has molded an NCAA worthy team, but transfers and injuries derail what may have been a solid ACCT contender and sweet 16 candidate. That 2012 season teaches TB the necessity of recruiting to a full compliment of players. He almost succeeds, but for a PG, and we end up in the NIT in 2013. But LESSON LEARNED- never be caught short handed again.

By 2014, TB has the full roster, the leaders, the depth, and the PG, but he experiments with an "open" offense and it falls flat. Harris stops by after the UT debacle and the structured O leads the Hoos to the ACCT championship and the sweet 16. Again recruiting to a full roster, we start this season off where the team left off last year.

BUT, this year TB has some kids that may be better adapted to a more open offense. TB plays his vets and keeps to a short bench. When Justin goes down TB does not have the right answer: Nolte is a no show, Shayok has hit a wall and Hall is sitting on the bench. We were a tired team today. We were beaten by the December/ January version of ourselves. WHY?? Because TB did not use the bench to its full extent.

I think TB saw today that having depth is a great thing to have IF YOU USE IT. Being capable of multiple offenses based on personnel can be a strength. I expect TB will tell these kids that they will play, and that he and staff will work to allow for different combos to play depending on the opponent. This will keep the team fresh into March.

Next season TB can play two "complete" teams

the "vets: LP MB JA AG MT or if he wants size and athleticism DH DT MS IW and JS WE could be like Kentucky- capable of playing multiple looks, but unified by the packline D.

TB has learned a lot the past 6 seasons. I think we will see the lessons of 2015 result in an even better 2016. and the better outcome will be due to playing to greater depth and keeping fresh legs and intensity from December to April.

Jk this provides me with absolutely no consolation. Today hurts and I don't give a $@$! about next year, I wanted to win now.

If there was one thing I think may have been a mistake by Bennett, it was starting Justin over Evan. Justin seemed to come out on fire off the bench against Belmont, maybe switching it around so quickly knocked something out of kilter. Nolte reverted back to some of his old ways, you could practically see his knees a knockin when he got the ball and he couldn't pass it fast enough. I wanted to ask opinions yesterday on what fans would do as far as who starts but never did.

No excuses, just reasons. Michigan State whipped UVAs ass but I can't help but think that the team we saw before Justin's injury is cake walking into the final 4. I mean, I can't say it enough....UVA was averaging 69 points per game the first 22 games. Since Justin's injury, 61.4 ppg. Now, that is good enough to keep winning games against Wake and GT and VT but apparently it's not good enough to beat teams like Louisville, UNC, and Michigan State.



This post was edited on 3/22 9:40 PM by Arden918

My biggest worry was that we wouldn't play up to our ability. We were out-coached, out-played, out-hustled during the entire game. I have never seen a team who looked so thoroughly beaten even though we were only behind a couple of scores. We had a great regular season but a very, very disappointing post season. 18 points in the first half?

that 5 acc teams go to sweet 16 and we aren't one of them. I love the team and the coach in victory and defeat. I also wouldn't have thought that Malcolm and London would combine for 5 of 22 shooting 3 TO's and 3 assists. Mich St shoots 50% from 3 and we hit 11%. When we are bad, we are bad! DA showed a lot of heart, we are going to miss him.

My son and a couple of his friends just ran into the basketball team at a Bojangles in Rustburg, Va. Once again, I am reminded of what a great bunch of young men represent our university. Just a couple of hours following a tough season ending loss, these guys still were willing to talk to and take pictures with my son and his friends. He was really excited and they set such a great example of kindness and humility. I did notice, though, he didn't have a pic of Darion.(ha ha) Seriously, he didn't get the whole team, I am DA would have been fine and willing.

I hope next year a more consistent offense can be apart of our defensive core. I think some folks figured us out a bit defensively over the last month or so (not everyone of course) and I hope we can respond with some more offensive consistency. I do think we are better than we showed but I think we did look as good as we all think we are. Look forward to these coming back next year as they are nothing if not resilient.

Thanks Whoos for a good run

if JA returns, Top 5 preseason...maybe Top 3. Not sure of any potential transfers coming in/ or out, but if we could get a post scorer to help Gill..no way we shouldn't be playing for a title next year. CTB shouldn't change any of his principles or scheme, however a little more transition would help the scoring droughts.

And yes, I'm upset about today but we have not been the same team since JA returned after injury. Our team got out of sync on both ends, and the bench got shorter but not better.

I loved DAs comments...we need more dog on this team!! Our bigs were intimidated by Dawson period.
This post was edited on 3/22 6:18 PM by theICON

This post was edited on 3/22 6:30 PM by theICON

Tough loss and ending to a great season.........now on to the question of what the heck is the NCAA gonna do about the inconsistancy in officiating? How do two teams that play as physical as was the case today, only attempt a combined 8 FT in the first half, and then 51 combined attempts in the second half? That was today's game. I'd be curious to look at the stats for the whole year. Someone help me understand.

Does UVA now get the Can's Win the Big Game, moniker, a la Villanova?

My son and a couple of his friends just ran into the basketball team at a Bojangles in Rustburg, Va. Once again, I am reminded of what a great bunch of young men represent our university. Just a couple of hours following a tough season ending loss, these guys still were willing to talk to and take pictures with my son and his friends. He was really excited and they set such a great example of kindness and humility. I did notice, though, he didn't have a pic of Darion.(ha ha) Seriously, he didn't get the whole team, I am DA would have been fine and willing.

This post was edited on 3/22 9:28 PM by 1CavFamily

Greetings one more time from the TWC Arena, where Michigan State and UVa are set to tip it up in about 40 minutes. One important note already worth passing along: Justin Anderson will make his return to the starting lineup today for the Cavaliers.

As always, have at it folks...