Aside from the blowout @Wake, we haven't really looked like ourselves since the first half against L'ville at home. Or @UNC, if you want to point to a full game.
I'm definitely very concerned about our slow starts, the stagnant periods on offense, the major uptick in turnovers - those are the sorts of things that will cost us a chance at winning a national championship or at least making the Final Four. On the flip side, we continue to battle better than any team in the country. It's damn hard to put the final nail in the Virginia coffin and we make sure it takes all 40 minutes if anyone's going to do it.
So I'm trying to put into perspective what I've been seeing and I think I've got it. Playing as we were pre-JA injury, I think we were as much a lock for the Final Four as Kentucky and easily second most likely to win the title. We were a historically great team not credited as such due to Kentucky.
Since JA's injury, we have been last year's team ... which is still pretty damn good.
1 seed or 2 seed, I think we're a very safe bet to make the Sweet 16, but if the guy's keep playing the way they have the last month, every round thereafter will be a crapshoot. If they can somehow recapture their early season form, I honestly think we could cruise into the Elite Eight and then be a strong favorite to make the Final Four.
I'm definitely very concerned about our slow starts, the stagnant periods on offense, the major uptick in turnovers - those are the sorts of things that will cost us a chance at winning a national championship or at least making the Final Four. On the flip side, we continue to battle better than any team in the country. It's damn hard to put the final nail in the Virginia coffin and we make sure it takes all 40 minutes if anyone's going to do it.
So I'm trying to put into perspective what I've been seeing and I think I've got it. Playing as we were pre-JA injury, I think we were as much a lock for the Final Four as Kentucky and easily second most likely to win the title. We were a historically great team not credited as such due to Kentucky.
Since JA's injury, we have been last year's team ... which is still pretty damn good.
1 seed or 2 seed, I think we're a very safe bet to make the Sweet 16, but if the guy's keep playing the way they have the last month, every round thereafter will be a crapshoot. If they can somehow recapture their early season form, I honestly think we could cruise into the Elite Eight and then be a strong favorite to make the Final Four.
