Stadium (Jeff Goodman)
6. Virginia – Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key are gone, but Tony Bennett will bring Kihei Clark, Tomas Woldetensae, Jay Huff and Casey Morsell back — and Marquette transfer Sam Hauser is eligible. The Cavaliers also bring in a big-time recruiting class that includes skilled forward Jabri Abdur-Rahim and point guard Reece Beekman.
USA Today (Scott Gleeson)
3. Virginia (23-7). The reigning national champions (yes, because 2019 was the last time the title nets were cut down) are likely to lose leading scorer Mamadi Diakite (13.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg) but return two-year starter Kihei Clark (10.8 ppg, 5.9 apg) and blossoming big man Jay Huff from a group that won eight in a row to close out 2019-20. Coach Tony Bennett's Cavaliers again led the nation in scoring defense (allowing opponents 52.4 points per game) this past season and his offense will get a huge boost from eligible Marquette transfer Sam Hauser as well as a strong recruiting class.
247Sports (Kevin Flaherty)
2. Virginia
Projected Starting Lineup: Kihei Clark, Tomas Woldetensae, Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Sam Hauser, Jay Huff
247Sports Composite recruiting class ranking: 12
One of the many downsides of the NCAA Tournament cancelation is that the Cavaliers didn’t get a chance to defend their title, particularly after entering the postseason on an eight-game winning streak. But it shouldn’t take Virginia as long to find itself in 2020-21. Clark could be among the ACC’s best point guards, and Huff ended the year by averaging 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.0 blocks over Virginia’s last three games, which included wins over Duke and Louisville. Woldetensae found his shot as the year went on; remember that he started the year just 3-for-21 from 3, then shot almost 40 percent after that. Marquette transfer Sam Hauser adds more outside shooting and skill, and the No. 12 class in the 247Sports Composite yields both a likely starters in scoring wing Abdur-Rahim and an excellent point guard in Reece Beekman, who should team with sophomore Casey Morsell and junior wing Kody Stattmann to help form a team with more guard depth. Francisco Caffaro had some moments as a freshman; he’ll be a nice backup plan to Huff at the five.
College Hoops Today (Jon Rothstein)
8. Virginia
G Kihei Clark
G Casey Morsell
F Tomas Woldetensae
F Sam Hauser
C Jay Huff
Key Losses: Braxton Key, Mamadi Diakite
Key Newcomers: Sam Hauser (transfer), Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Reece Beekman, Carson McKorkle
Projected Bench: Reece Beekman, Carson McKorkle, Kody Stattman, Francisco Caffaro, Chase Coleman, Justin McKoy, Kadin Shedrick, Jabri Abdur-Rahim
NBA Watch: None
Heat Check CBB (Eli Boettger)
1) Virginia
Projected lineup: Kihei Clark, Tomas Woldetensae, Jabri Abur-Rahim, Sam Hauser, Jay Huff
Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers had an up-and-down followup to the 2019 title. Most of the team’s issues came on the offensive side where Virginia ranked 234th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and couldn’t successfully offset last year’s departing trio of Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter. Barring any unexpected changes, though, this program should again be competing for a national championship next April.
Kihei Clark (10.8 ppg, 5.9 apg) returns as one of the top distributing point guards in the country along with 22-game starter Tomas Woldetensae (6.6 ppg, 36.1 3p%), elite rim-protecting big Jay Huff (8.5 ppg, 2.0 bpg) and potential starting guard Casey Morsell (13 starts, 4.0 ppg). UVa has substantial additions as well: Sam Hauser is a sit-out transfer from Marquette who averaged 14.9 points per game in ’18-19 and is a career 44.5 3-point shooter at 6-8/225. Hauser figures to tag along with freshman wing Jabri Abdur-Rahim — No. 40 in 24/7Sports’ 2020 rankings — in a Cavalier lineup that should pack plenty of offensive punch.
6. Virginia – Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key are gone, but Tony Bennett will bring Kihei Clark, Tomas Woldetensae, Jay Huff and Casey Morsell back — and Marquette transfer Sam Hauser is eligible. The Cavaliers also bring in a big-time recruiting class that includes skilled forward Jabri Abdur-Rahim and point guard Reece Beekman.
USA Today (Scott Gleeson)
3. Virginia (23-7). The reigning national champions (yes, because 2019 was the last time the title nets were cut down) are likely to lose leading scorer Mamadi Diakite (13.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg) but return two-year starter Kihei Clark (10.8 ppg, 5.9 apg) and blossoming big man Jay Huff from a group that won eight in a row to close out 2019-20. Coach Tony Bennett's Cavaliers again led the nation in scoring defense (allowing opponents 52.4 points per game) this past season and his offense will get a huge boost from eligible Marquette transfer Sam Hauser as well as a strong recruiting class.
247Sports (Kevin Flaherty)
2. Virginia
Projected Starting Lineup: Kihei Clark, Tomas Woldetensae, Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Sam Hauser, Jay Huff
247Sports Composite recruiting class ranking: 12
One of the many downsides of the NCAA Tournament cancelation is that the Cavaliers didn’t get a chance to defend their title, particularly after entering the postseason on an eight-game winning streak. But it shouldn’t take Virginia as long to find itself in 2020-21. Clark could be among the ACC’s best point guards, and Huff ended the year by averaging 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.0 blocks over Virginia’s last three games, which included wins over Duke and Louisville. Woldetensae found his shot as the year went on; remember that he started the year just 3-for-21 from 3, then shot almost 40 percent after that. Marquette transfer Sam Hauser adds more outside shooting and skill, and the No. 12 class in the 247Sports Composite yields both a likely starters in scoring wing Abdur-Rahim and an excellent point guard in Reece Beekman, who should team with sophomore Casey Morsell and junior wing Kody Stattmann to help form a team with more guard depth. Francisco Caffaro had some moments as a freshman; he’ll be a nice backup plan to Huff at the five.
College Hoops Today (Jon Rothstein)
8. Virginia
G Kihei Clark
G Casey Morsell
F Tomas Woldetensae
F Sam Hauser
C Jay Huff
Key Losses: Braxton Key, Mamadi Diakite
Key Newcomers: Sam Hauser (transfer), Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Reece Beekman, Carson McKorkle
Projected Bench: Reece Beekman, Carson McKorkle, Kody Stattman, Francisco Caffaro, Chase Coleman, Justin McKoy, Kadin Shedrick, Jabri Abdur-Rahim
NBA Watch: None
Heat Check CBB (Eli Boettger)
1) Virginia
Projected lineup: Kihei Clark, Tomas Woldetensae, Jabri Abur-Rahim, Sam Hauser, Jay Huff
Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers had an up-and-down followup to the 2019 title. Most of the team’s issues came on the offensive side where Virginia ranked 234th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and couldn’t successfully offset last year’s departing trio of Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter. Barring any unexpected changes, though, this program should again be competing for a national championship next April.
Kihei Clark (10.8 ppg, 5.9 apg) returns as one of the top distributing point guards in the country along with 22-game starter Tomas Woldetensae (6.6 ppg, 36.1 3p%), elite rim-protecting big Jay Huff (8.5 ppg, 2.0 bpg) and potential starting guard Casey Morsell (13 starts, 4.0 ppg). UVa has substantial additions as well: Sam Hauser is a sit-out transfer from Marquette who averaged 14.9 points per game in ’18-19 and is a career 44.5 3-point shooter at 6-8/225. Hauser figures to tag along with freshman wing Jabri Abdur-Rahim — No. 40 in 24/7Sports’ 2020 rankings — in a Cavalier lineup that should pack plenty of offensive punch.
