Postscript from Chapel Hill
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 02/01/2010
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- His stat line didn't dazzle, but Calvin Baker rejoined UVa's rotation Sunday night in Chapel Hill, N.C., and the senior guard's contribution pleased his coach, Tony Bennett.

Baker, who played six minutes in the first half, checked back into the game with 12:34 left and Virginia leading 53-33 at the Dean Smith Center. He didn't come out until the clock showed :36.

He finished with 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 3 turnovers in UVa's 75-60 rout of North Carolina.

Baker, a team captain, hadn't played since Jan. 18, two days after freshman Jontel Evans replaced him in the starting lineup. Baker didn't handle his demotion well, and that didn't go over well with Bennett.

In the week leading up to UVa's Jan. 23 game against Wake Forest, Baker wasn't allowed to practice with the team, and he didn't make the trip to Winston-Salem, N.C.

Two days later, however, Baker was back at practice, and he was in uniform Jan. 28 for Virginia's game against Virginia Tech at John Paul Jones Arena.

Baker didn't play against the Hokies, who rallied late to force overtime and eventually won 76-71.

"He was back with the team, and I was planning on using him, but we were up 10 with three minutes [left in regulation] and playing solid basketball," Bennett said Monday on the ACC coaches' teleconference.

"There was a time in that game when I thought, 'Maybe I'll put him in,' but we were fairly steady and didn't go that direction. Then against Carolina I thought we needed his experience. And when he was out there, there were a couple miscommunications early, but I thought he steadied us and made some good decisions.

Evans played 31 minutes against UNC and had 6 assists, both career highs. Junior guards Mustapha Farrakhan and Jeff Jones played only 9 and 3 minutes, respectively.

LIGHTS OUT: With apologies to UVa's Mike Scott, who's 2 for 2 from beyond the arc, the ACC's most accurate 3-point shooter, among players who average at least two treys per game, is his teammate Sammy Zeglinski.

Zeglinski, a redshirt sophomore from Philadelphia, was 5 for 8 from 3-point range against UNC. For the season, he's 45 for 96 (46.9 percent). Second in the ACC is Maryland senior Eric Hayes (45.1 percent).

After hitting at least two 3-pointers in 11 consecutive games, Zeglinski went 0 for 3 from beyond the arc in UVa's loss at Wake. He rediscovered his touch late against Virginia Tech, hitting a trey to force overtime and then another in the extra period.

Against Carolina, he made four 3-pointers in the second half.

"Tonight they went in, and I feel like I'm going in the right direction with it," Zeglinski said.

STRONG STUFF: The five recruits who signed with UVa in November include Will Regan, a 6-9 post player from Buffalo.

Regan is a senior at Nichols School, where Christian Laettner starred before becoming an All-American at Duke.

In 2008-09, Regan became only the seventh 11th-grader to be named player of the year in western New York, joining an elite club that also includes Laettner and Jonny Flynn.

Regan turned in two stellar performances over the weekend. In a 71-66 loss to Jamesville-DeWitt on Friday night, he made two treys and finished with 25 points and 19 rebounds.

Two days later, in a 65-43 rout of Albany Academy, Regan totaled 19 points and 22 boards.

NO-BRAINER: To the surprise of no one, UVa's Sylven Landesberg was named ACC player of the week Monday. Landesberg had 29 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot against UNC.

The 6-6 sophomore made 11 of 18 shots from the floor, so Landesberg "was very, very efficient," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said Monday. "And he's hard to guard. He's 6-5, 6-6, he can handle the ball, he can get into a crowd and take the bumps and the contact and still be able to finish a play.

"He had a lot of things going for him last night."

Added N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe: "What you're seeing is one of the best players in our conference, in Landesberg, taking over games. He's doing exactly what the best players do: They take over games and they make big plays."

The Wahoos (4-2, 13-6) host the Wolfpack (2-5, 14-8) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. ESPNU will televise the rematch of UVa's Jan. 9 win at State.

As it heads into its second meeting with Virginia, N.C. State has yet to face Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami or Boston College this season. UVa has yet to play Maryland, Florida State, Clemson, Duke or Boston College.

"I guess it's a computer maybe that's spitting this schedule out," Lowe said. "but you would think that, yeah, you would play everyone at least once before you start playing teams twice. But we have no control over that, so we just have to play the schedule they give us."

UNSUNG HEROES: To Bennett, center Jerome Meyinsse and forward Will Sherrill are "X-factor guys. They're willing to do whatever is necessary."

Meyinsse is a 6-9 senior from Baton Rouge, La. Sherrill, a walk-on, is a 6-9 junior from Manhattan, N.Y. Both rank among the program's top students. Neither had played a prominent role on the team before this season.

In his first three seasons, all under Bennett's predecessor, Dave Leitao, Meyinsse appeared in 58 games but started only one of them.

That was one more than Sherrill, who played a total of 31 minutes in his first two seasons at Virginia.

Both have earned spots in Bennett's rotation. Meyinsse has started 12 games and averages 4.9 points and 3.9 rebounds. He's shooting 60 percent from the floor, but statistics don't always reflect his value to the team.

"He's willing to serve his teammates," Bennett said. "He will work to get them open, screen and re-screen. I put him and Will in the same breath. They do what's necessary to help certain guys get opportunities, and then play off those."

Sherrill has started six games and averages 3.5 points and 3.4 rebounds. Meyinsse averages 19.4 minutes and Sherrill 16.8.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: In their loss to Virginia Tech, the 'Hoos squandered a 10-point lead in the final three minutes of regulation. However painful that collapse might have been, Bennett didn't hesitate to talk about it as UVa prepared to face defending NCAA champion North Carolina.

"He said, 'Most teams would come out and be flat,'" Meyinsse recalled late Sunday night. "He just told us, 'We have to come out, we have to fight, we have to show we can recover from that and come out and play well,' and I think we did that today."

Still, when the Tar Heels cut their deficit from 21 points to 14 late in the second half, UVa's players couldn't help flashing back, if only briefly, to the Virginia Tech game.

"We thought about it," Evans said, "but Coach was like, 'We were here before, and this time we're going to do it right.' We stuck together, we were mentally strong, we were smart out there, and we got the win."

Landesberg said: "It was scary. There were a few games where we were up a lot and we let the lead go. We knew that being up 20 didn't mean anything, especially against North Carolina. We wanted to just keep that lead, and we did. The main thing that helped us out was playing great defense."

 

Virginia turned up heat on defense in win over UNC
N.C. STATE AT VIRGINIA
Tomorrow: 7 p.m.
On the air: TV -- ESPNU; radio -- WRVA (1140), 6:30
By Michael Phillips
Published: February 2, 2010
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Usually the sound of the ball swishing through the net is followed by the squeaking of sneakers running backward.

But Sunday night, the sounds were synced nearly perfectly. The Cavs weren't interested in admiring their baskets, they were ready to get back and play defense.

"Our whole mind frame coming into this game is that we wanted to be the aggressor on defense," forward Will Sherrill said. "When they got to the post, we didn't want to let them go one-on-one. We wanted to double-down, trap them, make them kick it out and make their perimeter guys make plays. And I think that really disrupted their rhythm."

The proof was on the scoreboard -- Virginia 75, North Carolina 60. It was the Cavs' largest margin of victory in Chapel Hill, and a win worth celebrating no matter how the Tar Heels have been doing this year.

"It just feels so good," said Sylven Landesberg, who led all scorers with 29 points. "I came in a little jittery. I was looking up at all the Final Fours, all the retired jerseys. It's a tough place to come into."

He compared the Dean Dome to Madison Square Garden, another iconic facility. And like the NBA player he hopes to become, he had a big game ready for the big stage -- he was selected yesterday as the ACC player of the week.

Landesberg had struggled through foul trouble in the previous two games, but he found his way to the hoop early and often thanks to screens from teammate Jerome Meyinsse, whose well-rounded line included five rebounds, seven points and three blocks. One of those, a second-half rejection, was followed by a piercing scream that echoed through the mostly-empty upper deck.

"I don't plan it, but after a play like that, it's a natural reaction," he said with a smile. "It's just what happens."

Landesberg laughed at a mention of the scream, noting that "I was a little scared."

Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett doesn't mind the scream, especially since it came on the defensive end of the court. The defensive-minded coach always has been more enthusiastic about shutting down opponents, but especially so after several lapses in the team's previous game against Virginia Tech.

"There weren't a lot of easy shots," he said of last night's effort. "Most of them were contested, and when that happens you can feel good about your defense."

Offensively, the coach is less picky, but he does have one principle rule -- protect the ball and cut down on turnovers.

After falling behind and allowing an 18-0 run in the second half, the Tar Heels seemed intent on pressing the Cavs into making mistakes, especially with a freshman, Jontel Evans, controlling the ball.

But Evans knew it would be coming and had been practicing for it all week. He said he's learned that he doesn't have to be a hero against the press, he just needs to find an open teammate.

"It's a little different, since in high school I could just dribble through the pressure," he said. "But these guys are stronger, faster, more physical and more intelligent, so you have to pass it and be alert."

Evans was rotated with senior Calvin Baker at the position, the first playing time he's received since not traveling with the team to Wake Forest. He said he wanted to "go out there and be a leader" with the ball, and finished with three turnovers in 18 minutes against the press.

"I thought we needed his experience," Bennett said yesterday. "There were a couple miscommunications early, but he steadied us and made some good decisions."

Bennett wanted the rotation to negate fatigue in a high-intensity game.

"All hands on deck," the coach said. "That's our theme, and they have to be ready. It was such a hard-fought game -- our kids were playing real hard, and I thought guys needed a little more of a break."

One player who didn't get much of a rest is Landesberg, who at 34 minutes spent more time on the court than everybody else by at least seven minutes. It's time he earned by staying out of foul trouble and making sound decisions.

After a late-night bus ride home from Chapel Hill, the players were given yesterday off. But Bennett can feel good knowing that his defensive lessons from the past week seem to have stuck and resulted in a marquee victory for the program.

"Virginia's not going to be an easy out," Sherrill said. "We're going to be tough to play against any night."

Will to win carried the day for U.Va.
By Paul Woody
Published: February 2, 2010
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Many things can be said about the North Carolina Tar Heels this year.

They're down. They're rebuilding after winning a national championship last season. They're trying to find their chemistry. They were flat last night because they played in a building that was, by the Tar Heels' standards, barely half full.

Yadda. Yadda. Yadda.

North Carolina didn't lose the game Sunday night. The University of Virginia won it.

The Cavaliers won because Sylvan Landesberg was unstoppable -- 29 points on 11 of 18 shots and 7 of 8 free throws.

They won because Sammy Zeglinski had an ACC career night -- 5 of 8 on 3-point attempts, 19 points, three assists.

They won because every player did his job, no matter how big that job has to be or how small that job might seem to be.

The 29 points scored by Landesberg? Some came because he simply was better than Deon Thompson and Will Graves and could beat them to the basket.

Some came, though, because Jerome Meyinsse gave up his 6-9, 233-pound body to set a strong screen and give Landesberg an extra inch of space to catch a pass and face the basket without a defender inside his shirt.

"I was just out there with the radio [interview], and they said I was player of the game," Landesberg said. "I said, 'Jerome definitely deserved that.' He did a great job at both ends of the court. I've got to give him kudos."

Meyinsse's seven points and five rebounds don't tell the story of his contributions. He also had three blocked shots, a career high. He con tested almost every shot by the Tar Heels' potent inside players, Ed Davis (Benedictine) and Thompson.

Nothing was easy for the Tar Heels. At the end of the evening, they had the look of extreme unease, which will happen when you're handed your head, 75-60, by a team you had beaten 21 of the past 23 times here.

The Cavaliers also won for another reason. Their coach, Tony Bennett, knows how and when to challenge them.

Virginia lost at home to Virginia Tech on Thursday night. The Cavaliers led by 10 with three minutes left, and the Hokies simply took charge of the game and won in overtime.

The Hokies were better that night. That's an uncomfortable fact to face.

"I told them, 'A lot of teams hang their heads and go into a situation like this and not fight,'" Bennett said. "I told them, 'I want you to be different.'"

And the Cavaliers were.

They were different at the most important moments of the game. With 3:58 left in the game, Virginia led 65-50 when a television time out arrived.

The Cavaliers have lost double-digit leads several times this season. Playing at North Carolina, with all its tradition, prestige and its aura of invincibility offered Virginia a chance to cave in again.

Bennett told them, "You've been in this spot before. Show me you've learned. Play with composure."

The Cavaliers countered every North Carolina surge. They pressured 3-point shooters and gave up no easy baskets on offensive rebounds.

The center held.

"Failure is the greatest teacher, and I think it taught us well in this instance," Bennett said.

Bennett was so low-key after the game it was almost necessary to check him for a pulse. When he says he wants to stay even-keeled, he's not kidding. He did say, without being prompted that Landesberg was, "terrific."

Bennett is right to stay level-headed.

Virginia won an ACC game, it didn't clinch an NCAA tournament berth or prove it belongs among basketball elites.

"I want it to be about quality," Bennett said. "I've got a big picture in mind."

What he pictures is a program that comes to North Carolina and wins, not occasionally, but regularly. What he envisions is a program that becomes a legitimate contender for the ACC title each season and is in the conversation about the national championship.

Beating North Carolina in the Dean Dome is an important piece of that picture.

Head over heels
Andrew Seidman, Cavalier Daily Sports Editor
Men's Basketball / Sports
February 1, 2010 0

“It hurts.”

That was the prevailing sentiment in the Virginia locker room after the team blew a 10-point lead with less than four minutes remaining and suffered a devastating 76-71 loss to Virginia Tech last Thursday night.

As I looked around that room, I saw some of the most shell-shocked faces I’d ever seen. It was like ‘Nam all over again …
Oh, and by the way, depressed basketball players, you have to travel to Chapel Hill Sunday. You know, the place Virginia hasn’t sniffed victory since 2002?

They said all the right things: They emphasized the need to learn from their defensive lapses — er, collapse‚ down the stretch and expressed their desire to simply get back out on the basketball court.

But as quickly as Virginia had built its impressive 3-0 start in the ACC, defying all the so-called experts who picked the team to finish 11th in the conference, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Cavaliers would tumble down Tobacco Road and lose their third straight.

Or, so the so-called experts would have thought.

Thing is, Tony Bennett keeps his team on an even keel. “Don’t feel too high, don’t feel too low,” he always says. And after Virginia delivered a 75-60 shellacking to the Tar Heels Sunday night, I’m beginning to wonder if that wisdom comes with a side of Valium.

Sunday, it was a heavy dose of Sylven Landesberg that gave Virginia a much-needed injection of confidence. Three days after he said he “tried Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

force it” too much, the sophomore guard delivered his best — and most important — performance as a Cavalier, scoring a season-high 29 points, including 16 on 8-of-11 shooting during the first half alone.

The sophomore guard found his way to the rack early and often with five lay-ups during the period. North Carolina senior guard Marcus Ginyard, once tabbed the best on-the-ball defender in the nation, couldn’t contain Landesberg off the dribble.

Neither could the trio of 6-foot-10 Tar Heel forwards protecting the rim.

During an important play late in the half, No. 15 received the ball on the break, glided toward the basket — adjusting his body in mid-air to avoid a charge — and laid the ball in beautifully off the glass. The score gave Virginia a 32-27 lead, and — more importantly — demonstrated a crucial adjustment in Landesberg’s game. During each of the Virginia’s last two games, Landesberg picked up two fouls during the first half, landing him on the bench. Both opponents exploited the matchup and stifled Virginia’s stagnant offense. With Landesberg on the sideline against Wake Forest, the Cavaliers failed to make a field goal during the final eight minutes and 49 seconds of the half. Virginia Tech enjoyed a similar advantage when Landesberg hit the bench with 4:29 remaining in the first half, converting a nine-point deficit into a one-point lead at halftime.
It didn’t happen Sunday night at Chapel Hill.

Virginia held a 35-30 lead at halftime and jumped out on a 13-2 run to start the second half.

This time, Landesberg didn’t need to force anything. He let the game come to him during the second half, as his star performance was buoyed by help from his supporting cast.

Indeed, at the critical juncture in the game — in which Virginia extended its five-point halftime lead to 20 during the opening six minutes of the second half — Landesberg scored only three points.

Sophomore guard Sammy Zeglinski nailed two of his five three-pointers during the stretch, while Scott and senior forward Jerome Meyinsee owned the paint. Zeglinski finished with an ACC career-high 19 points and showed why he leads the conference in three-point field goal percentage.

But when Zeglinski, Scott and Meyinsse were resting on the sideline with eight-and-a-half minutes left, Landesberg reasserted himself, as if to say Virginia would not blow another substantial lead.

Joined by sophomore center Assane Sene, Will Sherill, senior guard Calvin Baker and freshman point guard Jontel Evans, it wasn’t exactly a mystery who was going to shoot the ball. Nevertheless, Landesberg collected the ball on the left wing, rose up with a quick release and watched the ball sail through the net to give Virginia a 57-39 lead.

That’s right, North Carolina had only 39 points more than three-quarters of the way through the game. This is a team that entered the game tied with Duke for the ACC lead in points per game with 81.9.

Bennett’s team held the Heels to 21.9 below their average. That may be the most staggering statistic of all. Sure, North Carolina missed some open shots, but for the most part, the Cavaliers were in the passing lanes. Meyinsse and Scott held the Tar Heels’ dynamic duo in the post of sophomore forward Ed Davis and senior forward Deon Thompson to a combined 11 points.

And as I watched Virginia’s demolition of the Tar Heels unfold — both offensively and defensively — I realized Bennett is the indispensable man.

“Not too high, not too low.”

That’s how Virginia was able to bounce back from a seemingly soul-crushing loss to Public Enemy Number One. That’s why no loss will hurt too much under Virginia’s new basketball czar.

UVa flying high after win
By Whitey Reid
Published: February 2, 2010
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The Virginia men’s basketball team watched the movie “Gladiator” as it trekked back from Chapel Hill following its huge win over North Carolina on Sunday night. From the way UVa played against UNC, one would have thought that the team had viewed the inspirational flick before the game, not after.

No matter. By the time the bus pulled into Charlotttesville at around 2:30 Monday morning, everyone was dozing off anyway. Think there were some sweet dreams? Virginia’s 75-60 win over the Tar Heels was easily the biggest, and most impressive, of the Tony Bennett era, regardless of the state of UNC basketball.

UVa (13-6, 4-2 ACC) now sits in a second-place tie with Maryland in conference play, just a half-game back of Duke as the season creeps toward its halfway point.

“After the Virginia Tech game, we were coming off of a hard loss,” said Bennett on Monday afternoon. “We had to pick ourselves back up from the floor.”

Bennett’s bunch did that — and then some, pounding UNC (13-8, 2-4) on its own home floor. The loss — the Tar Heels’ worst at home since a 15-point defeat to Maryland back in 2003 — nearly left UNC coach Roy Williams at a loss for words.

“We didn’t play very well at any point in the game,” said Williams on Monday. “Virginia really did some great things and kicked us.”

Virginia shot 52 percent from the floor and held UNC to 36 percent shooting.

On offense, UVa (13-6, 4-2) was efficient and diverse. Sylven Landesberg, as usual, led the way with 29 points and five rebounds, earning ACC player of the week honors in the process. Sophomore Sammy Zeglinski added an ACC career-high 19 points.

“He’s hard to guard,” said Williams, referring to Landesberg. “You know, he’s 6-5, 6-6 and can handle the ball and get into a crowd and take the bumps and the contact and still be able to finish the play.

“I thought Will Graves did a great job on him one time. He was right outside the top of the key and Will was right in his face, and he still hit the long-range jump shot. I think he had a lot of things going for him.”

On defense, the Cavaliers executed Bennett’s “Pack Line” to perfection, forcing UNC to live and die on the perimeter. Tar Heels big man Ed Davis was a non-factor.

“There was an unselfishness on the defensive end to stop people together and then at the offensive end, sharing the ball,” Bennett said. “I think that, which flowed to both ends of the floor, was the thing I liked the most.”

In any big win, there are usually contributions from players you don’t expect. Jerome Meyinsse fell into that category for Virginia. The 6-foot-9 senior captain had a monster two-hand dunk in traffic during Virginia’s big second half run and also swatted a career-high three shots. Somewhere, former Virginia assistant coach Rob Lanier — the guy who recruited Meyinsse — had to be smiling.

It was last spring that Bennett said he first thought that Meyinsse might be able contribute. “Jason Williford [UVa assistant coach] and I were talking,” Bennett said. “We said, ‘You know, he’s not bad.’”

Meyinsse’s most unheralded attribute is his ability to set solid screens.

“He’s willing to serve his teammates,” Bennett said. “He’ll work to get them open…

“He’s got a big strong body and a willingness to do it.”

Now, Bennett says the challenge is to carry over all of the positives from Sunday night’s victory into Wednesday night’s home clash with N.C. State.

“We need to play with that same kind of sense of urgency that we did [on Sunday],” he said.

Dunks

Virginia senior captain Calvin Baker played for the first time since missing the Wake Forest game for disciplinary reasons. He had three points and three turnovers in 18 minutes. “Against Carolina, I thought we needed his experience,” Bennett explained. “There were a couple of miscommunications early, but I thought he steadied us and made some good decisions.” ... UVa freshman Jontel Evans had a career-high six assists.
 

These Heels are far from peak vintage
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: February 2, 2010
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The last thing I want to do is diminish Virginia’s win at North Carolina on Sunday night.

Any win over the storied UNC program is precious — particularly at the Dean Dome, where few teams have exited with their self-respect intact.

However, before Wahoo fans get too carried away with UVa handing UNC its worst home loss (15 points) in seven years, just consider: This ain’t your father’s North Carolina basketball team.

As Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friend.”

Fallen off a cliff

Having covered ACC basketball for more than 30 years, this just might be the worst North Carolina basketball team I’ve ever seen. The only thing that rivals this year’s edition of UNC would be Matt Doherty’s 2001-02 team that went 8-20 (4-12 in the ACC). That was the beginning of the end of Doherty, who was national coach of the year the season before.

That Tar Heels squad boasted three McDonald’s All-Americans — Jason Capel, Jawad Williams and Kris Lang — and was gawd-awful.

Something is dreadfully wrong in Blue Heaven and so far, Ol’ Roy hasn’t figured out the answers. His Tar Heels are 13-8 and 2-4 in the league, and appeared lifeless last night as Virginia cruised to victory.

I mean, for a Carolina team to have already dropped three ACC games in Dean’s House is almost unthinkable, not even halfway through the league schedule. To be embarrassed on their home floor twice already by Wake and UVa is something Williams probably never considered.

No respite

Things don’t get any easier because the Tar Heels have to go to Blacksburg on Thursday to face Virginia Tech, then play at Maryland on Super Bowl Sunday. Two losses would really make things interesting when Carolina gets back to Chapel Hill on Feb. 10 to meet archrival Duke.

Hmmm. Just when was the last time Carolina was 2-7 in the league?

Williams’ growing frustration is evident in his comments and his actions during games. Can’t blame him. In 21 seasons, Williams’ teams have never won less than 19 games.

The Tar Heels lack their usual swagger, struggle to score and appear baffled on how to get the ball to their post players.

Meanwhile, Cavalier fans have to be optimistic about the future with Bennett at the controls. Virginia is a well-coached basketball team.

You have to be impressed with Bennett, who — along with his coaching staff — has made this a fundamentally sound team while getting every ounce of potential from a squad that has suspect ACC talent dotting the roster (with a couple of exceptions, of course).

Bennett knows how to manage players, both in terms of X’s and O’s and psychologically. He makes his point without throwing an embarrassing tantrum.

Take the Calvin Baker case, for example. When Baker pouted over losing his starting job to freshman Jontel Evans and getting reduced playing time, Bennett suspended him from practice for a week and left him at home when UVa traveled to Wake Forest.

Lesson learned.

Bennett — who was a straight-laced guy as a player and learned from his father, Dick, also a top-shelf coach — has been around and seen it all from his days in college to a player in the NBA to coaching. He believes that failure is the greatest teacher.

He was quick to remind his Cavaliers in the huddle late in the Carolina game of their recent history.

“You’ve been in this spot before,” Bennett said. “Show me you’ve learned.”

Clearly, the UVa coach was referring to the Cavs’ late-game collapse against Virginia Tech last week. This time the Cavs didn’t fold or choke or whatever other verb you’d like to use.

They learned.

The Tar Heels were more than welcome to cooperate, or just too uninspired to retaliate.

Virginia (13-6, 4-2, tied for second in the ACC) returns to the friendly confines of John Paul Jones Arena for two home games this week (against N.C. State and Wake Forest) and an opportunity to shock the world ... well, the ACC version of the world.

The league is clearly down, enhancing that opportunity.

Looking at the polls released Monday, the ACC came dangerously close to not having a team in the national top 10 for the first time since March 4, 1996.

Duke, which appears to be the best team in the league, but was humiliated at Georgetown on Saturday, slipped to 10th in the Associated Press poll and ninth in the coaches’ poll. The only other ACC team in the top 25 is a very shaky Georgia Tech (19th coaches, 21st writers poll).

No Final Four team in sight. Maybe not even a Final Eight.

Virginia Basketball Makes Carolina Blue
Ben Gibson
Written on February 01, 2010

What a difference a week makes.

On Wednesday, the North Carolina Tar Heels rallied from a quick run by N.C. State in the second half to hammer the Wolfpack in the RBC Center and right the ship after a disastrous start to the ACC season.

On Thursday, the Cavaliers choked away a 10-point lead with three minutes to go against their bitter in-state rival to fall from their completely unexpected perch atop the ACC standings.

One team had all the momentum in the world and the other one may have lost what little confidence it had gained after its hot start under a new head coach.

It certainly looked like Sunday night's game was a mismatch and indeed it was, just not the way anyone expected.

The Virginia Cavaliers bounced back in tremendous fashion, defeating the Tar Heels 75-60 in the Dean Dome, the biggest winning margin by a Cavalier team in school history at Carolina.

Sylven Landesberg redeemed himself after a poor final stretch against the Hokies and scored a season-high 29 points on the road. The reigning ACC Rookie of the Year is the only player in the entire conference to score in double figures in every game this season, but he was noticeably absent in the final minutes against Virginia Tech.

Trying to win the game with desperation heaves and missed free throws will not earn you many victories. Landesberg looked pedestrian and fans looked mutinous after a heart-breaking defeat.

After a disheartening loss it is typical for a team to press and only add to their misery by losing faith in the system. You could see this with the Tar Heels, who lost all sense of unity when they got behind and individuals tried to take over the game, rather unsuccessfully. Fortunately for Cavalier fans, Virginia took the seemingly season-ending loss and preached something that had to seem almost insane: patience.

Indeed, patience will be the name of the game this season for the Cavaliers. Certainly anything that new coach Tony Bennett can achieve this season with Virginia is nice, but it's gravy. Bennett is trying to create a program for long-term success.

That is why he is willing to sit his best players when they are in foul trouble rather than gamble the game away; he needs the supporting cast to gain confidence.

Bennett came under heat for benching Mike Scott and Sylven Landesberg late in the first half when both were saddled with two fouls and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons went on an insurmountable run. A similar run took place in the following game when the Hokies came back from 12 points down to turn the game's momentum at halftime with Landesberg riding the pine.

Sure, the strategy can be criticized and Bennett admitted he may have to look at those decisions again, but, make no mistake, those losses helped Virginia win this game Sunday against the Tar Heels.

Let's face it, Virginia will not be successful if it has to rely on Landesberg each and every game. The other players may not have to carry the team but they need to prove they can hit the big shots when called upon.

Case and point, with three minutes to go against Virginia Tech, junior guard Jeff Jones jacked up a three-pointer in transition which would have sealed the game with a 13-point margin. With a 4-on-2 break it is not the worst decision, but you have to make it.

Jones missed badly and the Hokies ran in transition for a quick score. That one decision turned the momentum and resulted in an overtime loss for a team that had the game in hand nearly the entire contest.

On Sunday, sophomore guard Sammy Zeglinski had nearly the exact same situation and in the corner he drilled it. He provided the 18-point margin and the dagger to any North Carolina comeback.

You see, bad decisions are only bad if you fail to execute. When it goes in, no matter how foolish the choice, people forgive you.

Although Landesberg stole the show last night, the supporting cast sealed this victory. Zeglinski's 19 points, freshman point guard Jontel Evans's six assists, and Jerome Meyinsse's stellar defense helped bring Virginia a big win over a team full of McDonald's All-Americans in a place full of banners and retired jerseys.

The game even marked the return of senior captain Calvin Baker, someone who has clearly been in the dog house with coach Bennett for some time now. Instead of moping though, he played 18 solid minutes and provided key leadership down the stretch. This victory was redemption for the entire team.

A victory over an arch-rival cannot fully salve the wounds of losing a winnable game to another rival. However, Virginia fans cannot help smiling as they enter February just half a game out of first place in the ACC standings.

The Cavaliers are certainly a work in progress; their offense is highly contingent on their ability to knock down shots from behind the arc.They are still a young team learning how to deal with these raised expectations and the road will only get more difficult. At this point, Virginia could win or lose just about any game on their schedule in this unpredictable ACC season.

Nevertheless, this victory is a statement win to the entire conference. Virginia is not going to just lay over and play dead. Maybe in year's past the Cavaliers would fade quietly into the night but this team has the heart and hustle to cause headaches for each and every team they play the rest of the year.

Yes Virginia, basketball season is alive and well in Charlottesville and for the first time in quite some time, the future is bright.

Men's Basketball: Landesberg named ACC player of the week

The headline says it all. The ACC named Sylven Landesberg player of the week for the second time this season. Sunday's win over North Carolina was a big reason. Here's the school's release:

Virginia sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s men’s basketball Player of the Week on Monday (Feb. 1) for his play in Virginia’s games with Virginia Tech and North Carolina last week. It’s the second time this season Landesberg has earned the award.

The 6-6 Landesberg, who is from Flushing, N.Y., scored 47 points and had nine rebounds in the two games. He shot 55.9 percent (19-34) from the field, including 33.3 percent (2-6) from three-point range, and 70 percent (7-10) from the free-throw line. He also had seven assists, three steals and one blocked shot in 71 minutes of playing time in the two games.

In the Cavaliers’ 76-71 overtime loss at home to Virginia Tech on Jan. 28, Landesberg scored 18 points and had four rebounds. He also had five assists and one steal in 37 minutes of action.

In Virginia’s 75-60 win at North Carolina on Jan. 31, Landesberg scored a game-high 29 points and had five rebounds. He also had two assists, two steals and one blocked shot in 34 minutes of playing time.

By Zach Berman
 

Only ACC certainty is that league is down
Dave Fairbank
February 2, 2010

The ACC's weekend included a signature win for Virginia, a squandered opportunity for Virginia Tech, and the conference's alleged best team getting crunched in front of the First Fan.

Further confirmation that this season ACC hoops rests on brand and tradition, rather than accomplishment. Or put less diplomatically, the league is down.

How down? Think Clapton doing "I Shot the Sheriff" or Pacino in "S1mone." Pitiable vehicles that don't approach the performer's ability or reputation.

You want to talk about the ACC being the No. 1-ranked conference by USA Today stat guru Jeff Sagarin and No. 3 by CollegeRPI.com?

I'll point out that the league leader, Duke, was exposed by the Big East Conference's fourth-best team, Georgetown, with the Obama-Biden duo in attendance. And the team picked to finish 11th just whacked the defending national champs in their own building.

The ACC isn't in Pac-10 territory, but based on recent results and our lyin' eyes, does any conference team besides the Blue Devils inspire confidence that it will reach the NCAA tournament's second weekend?

Start with Virginia. The Cavaliers' remarkable win at North Carolina is at least as much a reflection of the present state of Tar Heels hoops as of coach Tony Bennett's ability to get his kids to pivot after last Thursday's late face-plant versus Virginia Tech.

The Cavaliers shot 52 percent from the field, limited Carolina to 36 percent, and guard Sylven Landesberg was a certified load from start to finish.

Most heartening to Bennett: "The unselfishness with which we played," he said, "and that was defensively and offensively. There was an unselfish effort on the defensive end to stop people together, and then on the offensive end, sharing the ball. I think that overflowed into both ends of the floor (and) was, to me, the thing that I liked most about that game."

Virginia is tied for first place in the loss column fielding a team that's not significantly more talented than the one that finished 11th last season and won only 10 games. What's that say about the conference?

While Bennett received verification that his message was getting across, Carolina coach Roy Williams sounds as if he needs couch time. The Tar Heels have lost four of five — three at home and three by double figures.

"I'm at wit's end," Williams said, "but at the same time, I still have to keep trying to think of something to do, and I have to keep working and make sure that they keep working because if not, we don't have any chance whatsoever."

Though the Tar Heels are 10th in the league, they also are only two games back in the loss column behind Duke, Maryland and the Cavaliers.

Carolina struggling certainly contributes to the notion that the ACC is down. But often another team steps into the void. No one has, not with any consistency.

One reason might be that the league this year fields collections of talent rather than talented collections.

"Any given night, you don't know who's going to win," said N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe, whose last-place team, by the way, handed Duke one of its two league losses.

"You could have one team go and knock off a nationally ranked team, and then go play a team that's not ranked at all and lose to them," he said. "You just don't know. But what you do know is that this league has a lot of talented players, and on any given night, if those talented players decide that they're going to be better, that they're going to go get it, then they're going to win."

Virginia Tech appeared capable of filling the void and still might do so. But if last Thursday's come-from-behind win at Virginia signified a step forward, Sunday's loss at Miami was a step back.

The Hokies permitted the Hurricanes to do to them what they had done nearly three weeks prior: Jump on Miami early and keep them at arm's length.

The Hurricanes shot 70 percent from the field in the first half, 63 percent for the game, against a Tech team whose players can recite coach Seth Greenberg's defensive drills in their sleep.

"Obviously, I was extremely disappointed with our defensive execution in the first half," Greenberg said. "Our attention to detail, our sense of urgency, our toughness, our communication was just not what it needs to be if we're going to be relevant in the next 10 games."

Tech has every chance to be relevant. So do eight or nine other teams. It's what happens when flawed teams routinely leave the door open.

The question becomes how many of the ACC's inconsistent or inattentive teams can take advantage of the openings?

London plans for new season, taps Lazor for offense
Former Seahawks assistant cites London’s reputation as reason for joining Cavaliers
Andrew Seidman, Cavalier Daily Sports Editor
Featured / Football / Sports
February 2, 2010 0

Football coach Mike London discussed his plans for the Cavalier offense in an interview with The Cavalier Daily last week, just as Bill Lazor — who London tapped as offensive coordinator Jan. 28 — takes the reins.

Though London did not name the starting quarterback or describe the what the team’s first play from scrimmage will be come this fall, he did outline his plan to return the Cavaliers to the sort of prominence that has often eluded the team in recent years.

At quarterback, London said, Virginia needs someone who can “handle the play action pass and manage the game.” Concurrently, wideouts need to “rely on some toughness and athleticism on the edge,” while backs, he said, “have to be able to run the ball… with authority.”

This ability to pass and run the ball, London said, will prove pivotal for the Cavaliers when the game is on the line.

“You have to be able to keep the clock moving at the end of the game by running the ball,” he said, “but you also have to be able to protect the quarterback and say, ‘You know what — we got one of the best wide receivers. Let’s block it up and throw it deep.’”

At the head of London’s new system will be Lazor, who joins the Cavaliers after two seasons as quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks.

“Bill brings a wealth of football knowledge and influence working for three NFL Hall of Fame head coaches,” London said in a University press release. “Like all the other coaches on staff, he is of high character and integrity.”

Lazor attended Cornell University, where he broke 26 passing and total offensive program records as quarterback. He joined Cornell’s coaching staff upon graduating in 1994 and eventually became quarterbacks coach for the team during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Lazor then moved to the University of Buffalo — a school that had just rejoined the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1999 — and achieved only four wins from 2001-03, as the young team struggled to find traction.

Nevertheless, Lazor made the jump to the NFL in 2003, landing a job as the quality control coach for the Atlanta Falcons.

One year later, he joined the Washington Redskins as an offensive assistant and eventually became quarterbacks coach in 2006 with coach Joe Gibbs.

With Mark Brunell and Jason Campbell splitting time under center, the Redskins finished 21st in the NFL in passing offense in 2006 but improved to 14th in the league the following year, as Campbell and Todd Collins led the team to the playoffs.

After Gibbs retired for the second time, Lazor moved west to Seattle to once again take the position of quarterbacks coach, a post that was vacated by Jim Zorn, who incidentally replaced Gibbs in Washington.

During Lazor’s first year, the Seahawks ranked 29th in the league in passing offense and 27th in quarterback rating, while Seneca Wallace filled in for an injured Matt Hasselbeck. With Lazor’s guidance, the Pro Bowler returned for an improved 2009 campaign, as the Seahawks rose to 15th in the league in passing offense.

He now returns to college coaching as one of the last pieces of London’s coaching staff to fall into place.

Lazor cited London’s strong reputation among coaches with whom London used to work as a major reason as to why he chose to make the move to Virginia.

“In my mind I have an unbelievable view of what Virginia football is, what it’s going to be and should be,” Lazor said in a Jan. 28 University press release announcing his hire. “I think Virginia is a place that is going to win, a place full of great people.”

Cavs hire tight ends coach
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Scott Wachenheim's path from Liberty University to the Washington Redskins took him through Charlottesville in early February of 2009.

Almost exactly one year later, Wachenheim will be stopping in Charlottesville.

Wachenheim reached agreement Monday with new Virginia football coach Mike London and will coach the Cavalier tight ends once approved by UVa's human-relations office.

"It's a great hire," said Liberty University head coach Danny Rocco, a former UVa assistant who tapped Wachenheim as his offensive coordinator after taking the Liberty job prior to the 2005 season.

Wachenheim, 47, previously had served as the offensive coordinator at Rice for five seasons.

Rocco provided the following scouting report on Wachenheim: "Hard-working, Type-A personality, solid recruiter, diligent."

Wachenheim, from Woodland Hills, Calif., was a four-year starter at the Air Force Academy as an offensive lineman and later coached at Arkansas, Colorado and Utah State, where he was recruiting coordinator and coached the tackles and tight ends, before spending 12 seasons at Rice.

He became available for Virginia when Redskins coach Jim Zorn was fired after the season.

London settled on Wachenheim after a Monday interview with Bob Price, who coached the tight ends under former UVa head coach Al Groh. Price, also the recruiting coordinator for the Groh staff, may remain with the football program in another capacity.

Cavs add Wachenheim to staff
By Jay Jenkins
Published: February 2, 2010
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There may not be a Chris Cooley-type player on Virginia’s football roster, but the assistant coach that worked closest to the Washington Redskins’ star tight end is coming to Charlottesville.

Sources confirmed to The Daily Progress that new coach Mike London hired Scott Wachenheim late this weekend as an assistant coach. An official release is pending.

While it appears that Wachenheim, 47, will work closely with the Cavalier tight ends, he is also expected to help with the offensive line.

Wachenheim, who played at Air Force, worked with the Redskins for just a season — one that saw Cooley go down with a season-ending injury after playing in seven games.

It is the work prior to his stint with Dan Snyder’s organization that stands out — he worked 21 seasons at the collegiate level, including three seasons under head coach Danny Rocco as Liberty’s offensive coordinator.

When Wachenheim was hired by the Redskins, former coach Jim Zorn said, “Scott is an experienced coach, who has been successful in the collegiate ranks. He is a great communicator and an excellent teacher and has a strong desire to win. Throughout the interview process, the entire coaching staff was impressed with Scott’s outstanding poise, ability and strong understanding of the game.”

The hiring officially completes London’s coaching staff, while the positions that the coaches will man have not been disclosed. It is known, however, that new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor will double as the quarterbacks coach.

Wachenheim’s longest coaching stint came at Rice University from 1994 to 2005 under former coach Ken Hatfield. In his last five seasons at Rice, he served as the offensive coordinator and the program led the nation in rushing in 2004 as the Owls averaged 306.5 yards per game on the ground.

A native of Woodland Hills, Calif., Wachenheim also worked at Arkansas, Colorado and Utah State in various roles.

The slotting of the team’s nine assistant coaches could be released Wednesday when London will meet with the media to discuss the results from national signing day, which falls on that day.

Virginia currently has verbal commitments from 17 players and is tied nationally for the 65th-best class by Rivals.com. The Cavaliers stand 10th in the ACC.