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| Cavaliers during Sunday's season opener vs South Carolina St. |
"The Cavaliers got off to a roaring start to their season on Sunday afternoon, thoroughly handling South Carolina State, 75-38. Mike Scott was his typically impressive self, racking up eight points and 15 rebounds, while Joe Harris got hot early and scored 13 points, including three 3-pointers.
...It starts with Tony Bennett, who was 31-31 in two seasons since arriving in Charlottesville. On the surface, that’s obviously not impressive, but there was plenty of injuries and plenty of personnel attrition along the way. Bennett now has a roster full of his type of players, which means they will get after it on the defensive end and make life difficult for the opponent at the other end.
The return of Scott is a huge boost. He’s one of the most underrated players in the conference, and flew even further under the radar this season after missing most of last year with an ankle injury. Scott provides a legitimate inside option for the Cavaliers.
The perimeter is deep and talented. Harris and K.T. Harrell are both talented shooters who spurred multiple runs for the Cavaliers against South Carolina State on Sunday. When they are knocking down their shots, it opens up more opportunities for Scott down low. Jontel Evans is a quick point guard who creates pressure on both sides of the ball, and Sammy Zeglinski, who missed Sunday with an ankle injury, can play both guard spots. Freshman Malcolm Brogdon can be an impact player.
When Bennett has had success in the past, he has had a very solid perimeter, capable inside players and a ferocious defense. The Cavaliers have the pieces to be like that this season. They have been one of the better defensive teams in the ACC the past two seasons, but have simply not had the offensive firepower or inside play to contend with the top teams in the conference. They’ve shown flashes, but haven’t been able to put it together on a consistent basis.
If everyone stays healthy, and Assane Sene and James Johnson provide something up front, don’t be surprised to see Virginia finish fourth in the ACC and go dancing come March."
