'Hoos, Terps Try Again
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 02/14/2010
By Jeff White
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- UVa's basketball game with UNC Wilmington, originally
scheduled for Dec. 19, wasn't actually played until Jan. 18.
The wait for the Virginia-Maryland makeup game won't be nearly as long.
The ACC rivals were supposed to meet last Wednesday in College Park, but
treacherous weather conditions in the D.C. area forced a postponement. The game
was rescheduled for Monday night, and, barring an unexpected snowstorm, the
Cavaliers (5-4, 14-8) will take on the Terrapins (6-3, 16-7) at 8 o'clock.
Both teams played -- and lost -- on the road Saturday. Maryland got blown out at
Duke, and UVa dropped a close game at Virginia Tech.
The Wahoos flew from Roanoke to Baltimore after the game Saturday night, then
bused to their hotel in Greenbelt, Md.
Virginia is in the early part of a stretch in which it plays four games in eight
days. After facing Maryland, the 'Hoos return home to host Florida State on
Wednesday night, then visit Clemson on Saturday.
"Physically, I hope we'll be all right," Tony Bennett said Saturday night when
asked about the game at Maryland.
A bigger concern for Virginia's first-year coach is whether his team can
"mentally bounce back and get ourselves ready," Bennett said. "You're going into
a tough stretch, playing against Maryland. I know they're coming off a
disappointing loss. It'll be another gut-check time. In this league, there's no
easy ones."
Games are especially difficult for teams that shoot as poorly as UVa did in
Blacksburg. The Cavaliers' defense was solid, but they made only 21 of 64
field-goal attempts (32.8 percent) in their 61-55 loss to the Hokies. Virginia
missed inside, outside and, to make matters worse, from the free-throw line.
"You gotta be able to stick some of those shots," Bennett said.
Of the Cavaliers who attempted more two shots from the floor, only junior
forward Mike Scott (8 of 16) made at least half.
"We got some good looks," Scott said. "We just couldn't finish."
Among ACC teams, Maryland ranks third in field-goal-percentage defense, so good
looks may be difficult for UVa to find at Comcast Center. The Terrapins are even
better when they have the ball. They lead the ACC in field-goal percentage and
rank fourth in free-throw percentage.
The Terps are dangerous from 3-point range, too. Eric Hayes is the league's most
accurate shooter from beyond the arc, and Greivis Vasquez is seventh.
Vasquez, who like Hayes is a senior guard, leads Maryland in scoring (18 ppg)
and is capable of dominating games.
"He's so complete," Bennett said. "He's fast and quick. I don't know if he has
the quickness of [Wake point guard] Ish Smith, but he has the size and the
ability to pass and shoot and score in a variety of ways.
"He can post you up, so you got a multi-dimensional player that if you lay off
in one area, he'll hurt you in other ways. And he certainly has the energy and
the emotion to get his team going. So you've got to, with guys like that, figure
out ways to make them earn everything and not give them the easy ones."
Before coming to UVa last spring, Bennett spent six seasons at Washington State
-- the final three as head coach -- so he's used to quick turnarounds between
games. In the Pac-10, teams typically play conference games on Thursdays and
Saturdays.
"I think you have to be wise" when it comes to practice time, Bennett said.
"Certainly you gotta get 'em prepared, but you have to taper down. At this point
in the year you have to. You gotta be mentally sharp. But I think we'll handle
that well. I think we've been pretty solid with that, and our guys are pretty
fresh. But we'll see as these games go. You gotta be able to open it up and lay
it out there, and hopefully we'll have enough."
During the somber postgame scene Saturday night at Cassell Coliseum, sophomore
swingman Sylven Landesberg was asked about the challenge facing the Cavaliers
this week.
"We just gotta get as much rest as we can," Landesberg said. "It's going to be a
long stretch. A lot of competitive games coming up. We just gotta come ready
mentally and physically."
The 'Hoos are seeking their first win in College Park since 2006-07. That was
their second season under Dave Leitao, Bennett's predecessor. No one who scored
for UVa in that game is still on the roster.
Sene Playing Catch-Up
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 02/14/2010
Feb. 14, 2010
4:48 p.m.
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- When his teammates headed to the locker room after practice
Friday afternoon, sophomore center Assane Sene stayed on the court at John Paul
Jones Arena for a tutorial with Tony Bennett.
For about 10 minutes, Bennett, a former NBA point guard, worked with the 7-foot
left-hander from Senegal, making Sene catch rapid-fire passes -- some high, some
low, some left, some right -- from close range.
He remains an active defender and averages 3.8 rebounds and a team-high 1
blocked shots in about 13 minutes per game, but Sene has regressed as an
offensive player this season.
His inability to consistently to catch the ball cleanly -- and then make a
decisive move to the basket -- has been the biggest problem.
Sene played with a painful injury to his left thumb for most of his freshman
season, but still showed the ability to catch and dunk.
Missed dunks and fumbled passes have marred his sophomore season. Sene is
averaging only 1.8 points, and he's shooting 31.3 percent from the floor.
His extra work Friday afternoon didn't pay immediate dividends. Against Virginia
Tech the next night in Blacksburg, Sene had two turnovers in his 8 minutes, both
times losing control of the ball.
On the ACC coaches' teleconference last Monday, I asked Bennett about Sene's
hands.
"I think you always continue to work on that," Bennett said. "He's been very
active defensively, and he's an unselfish player, and he's had a few where he's
dropped some.
"Like he had a nice [opportunity] right underneath the hoop [against Wake Forest
on Feb. 6], and I think he pump-faked and used the dribble and lost it, and he
gets frustrated. But he's working on that. He's working on his hands.
"He works hard in practice. He's a sophomore, so my hopes are he just keeps
improving and keeps staying hungry, getting stronger. Some of that stuff has to
do with strength. Hopefully the longer you're out there, the more comfortable
you get. And there's been times where he has seen limited action. But I've seen
it improve, and it's something you've got to work at, certainly, in the
offseason, but during the season too -- just a lot of catching and passing
[drills], and hand-strengthening [drills] hopefully will make a difference."
UVa (5-4, 14-8) meets ACC rival Maryland (6-3, 16-7) at 8 p.m. Monday in College
Park.
Virginia Continues Busy Schedule at Maryland on Monday
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 02/14/2010
CHARLOTTESVILLE—The Virginia men’s basketball team continues its busy stretch of
games on Monday (Feb. 15) when the Cavaliers play an Atlantic Coast Conference
game at Maryland.
Monday’s game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. It will be available live on the
Internet at ESPN360.com and will be broadcast by the Virginia Sports Radio
Network.
The game at Maryland is the second of a stretch of three games in five days for
Virginia. The Cavaliers began that stretch with a 61-55 loss at Virginia Tech
Saturday night (Feb. 13). Monday’s game at Maryland is the game postponed from
Feb. 10 because of unprecedented winter weather conditions and historic snow
accumulations in the College Park, Md., area.
UVa enters Monday’s game with an overall record of 14-8 and a 5-4 record in the
ACC. The Cavaliers have lost their last two games.
In the loss at Virginia Tech on Saturday, junior forward Mike Scott recorded his
third consecutive double-double for UVa with game-high totals of 20 points and
13 rebounds. Scott’s 13 rebounds were a personal career high in an ACC game.
Sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg added 17 points and six rebounds for the
Cavaliers against the Hokies.
Landesberg continues to lead Virginia in scoring (18.0 ppg.), assists (63, 2.9
apg.), free throw percentage (.827, 105-127) and minutes played (32.0 mpg.). He
is also averaging 5.2 rebounds a game.
Scott is the only other Virginia player averaging in double figures in scoring.
He is averaging 13.4 points a game and leads the team in rebounding with an
average of 7.7 rebounds a game. Scott is shooting 53.2 percent (109-205) from
the field.
Sophomore guard Sammy Zeglinski is averaging 9.7 points a game and leads the
team in three-point field goals made (48) and steals (29, 1.3 spg.). Zeglinski
is shooting 42.5 percent (48-113) from three-point range for the season.
As a team Virginia is averaging 68.9 points a game and allowing an average of
61.0 points a game. The Cavaliers are shooting 44.1 percent (546-1239) from the
field, including 37.6 percent (134-356) from three-point range, and 74.2 percent
(290-391) from the free-throw line.
Maryland enters Monday’s game with an overall record of 16-7 and a 6-3 record in
the ACC. The Terrapins are coming off a 77-56 loss at Duke on Saturday (Feb.
13). Maryland has won six of its last eight games.
The Terrapins are led by senior guard Greivis Vasquez who is averaging 18.0
points, 6.2 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals a game.
Senior forward Landon Milbourne is averaging 13.9 points and 5.3 rebounds a game
for Maryland. Milbourne is shooting 52.7 percent (129-245) from the field.
Other players averaging in double figures for the Terrapins are senior guard
Eric Hayes (11.0 ppg.) and sophomore guard Sean Mosley (11.2) points a game.
Hayes is shooting 45.2 percent (47-104) from three-point range, while Mosley is
averaging 5.5 rebounds a game and shooting 56.0 percent (89-159) from the field.
Freshman forward Jordan Williams leads Maryland in rebounding with an average of
7.8 rebounds a game. Williams is averaging 8.3 points a game.
As a team Maryland is averaging 79.1 points a game and allowing an average of
65.5 points a game. The Terrapins are shooting 47.6 percent (671-1411) from the
field, including 38.1 percent (131-344) from three-point range, and 71.7 percent
(347-484) from the free-throw line.
Gary Williams is in his 21st season as head coach at Maryland. His Terrapin
teams have compiled an overall record of 434-236. Maryland has participated in
the NCAA Tournament in 13 of the last 16 seasons and won the 2002 national
championship.
Maryland leads the series with Virginia 103-68 and the Terrapins lead 59-21 in
games played in College Park.
After the game at Maryland on Monday, the Cavaliers return to John Paul Jones
Arena for a game with Florida State on Wednesday (Feb. 17). That game is
scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be televised by ESPNU.
College Park, Md., is Virginia’s home away from home
Related Info
VIRGINIA AT MARYLAND
Today:8 p.m.
Online:ESPN360.com
Radio:WRVA (1140), 7:30
Page C3:Cardinals topple No. 2 Orange; Knights knock off seventh-ranked Hoyas.
By Michael Phillips
Published: February 15, 2010
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nowBuzz up!
The Virginia basketball players are racking up the rewards points at the
Greenbelt Marriott, but it's not the omelet bar in the morning that keeps them
coming back.
Last night was the third the Cavs have spent in the College Park, Md., area in
the past week. Last Monday, the team headed up early to beat a forecasted
snowstorm. It was a good strategy, but after the already-buried state found
itself under even more snow Tuesday morning, the game was postponed and the bus
headed back to Charlottesville.
The rescheduled game will take place tonight, though the only video broadcast
available will be online at ESPN360.com. The Cavs got a jump-start on travel for
this one, too, heading straight from Blacksburg to College Park after Saturday
night's 61-55 loss to the Hokies.
While the players missed out on a night of sleep at home, coach Tony Bennett was
able to ensure that the team rested before what promises to be another physical
ACC game.
After installing the game plan last week in practice, Bennett is ready for the
schemes the Terps will show, but he's looking out for the injuries that
naturally develop over a long season of physical play. Sylven Landesberg was
sporting an ice pack after an intense defensive struggle against the Hokies.
"We've just got to get as much rest as we can," theguard said. "It's going to be
a long stretch -- a lot of competitive games coming up. We've just got to come
ready mentally and physically."
After tonight, the Cavs return home for a Wednesday tilt with Florida State.
Bennett said that game planning wasn't a huge issue, since that was taken care
of during the snowstorm.
"Certainly you have to get them prepared -- you have to be mentally sharp, but I
think we've handed that well," he said. "We'll give them the best chance to be
physically fresh."
After a preseason bout with injuries, the Cavs have had mostly good fortune
during the season. Saturday night saw Sammy Zeglinski and Will Sherrill miss
some minutes after sustaining cuts on the floor, but both were able to return to
the game.
The team's only significant injury right now is to Solomon Tat, the seldom-used
forward. Tat sustained a concussion in practice Thursday and, though traveling
with the team, will not be participating in basketball activities until cleared
by a doctor. Tat has played just four cumulative minutes during conference games
this season.
Virginia doesn't get any favors with the opponents on the schedule, either. The
Hokies and Terps faced preseason expectations that involved making the NCAA
tournament, which puts pressure on them to defend their home court.
Saturday's opponent, Clemson, was in a similar situation but has taken a nose
dive in recent weeks.
As for Maryland, the Terps were waxed 77-56 by the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday
in Durham, N.C.
"I know they're coming off a disappointing loss, and it'll be another gut-check
time," Bennett said.
Of course, the Cavs hope that's purely a metaphorical gut check, as they'd like
to see the injury potential kept to a minimum during a busy stretch of
basketball.
Cavaliers in need of 3rd scorer
UVa wants someone besides Sylven Landesberg and Mike Scott to rely upon.
By Doug Doughty | The Roanoke Times
UVa's Mike Scott shoots over J.T. Thompson (left) and Victor Davila during
Virginia Tech's 61-55 home win Saturday.
BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech men's basketball coach Seth Greenberg knows exactly
what Virginia's problem is.
He's experienced it himself.
"We weren't sure who our third scorer would be," Greenberg said after the Hokies
claimed their 20th victory of the season and swept their regular-series with the
Cavaliers, 61-55 on Saturday night. "Now, we've got one."
On a night when leading scorer Malcolm Delaney was 4-for-16 from the floor and
second-leading scorer Jeff Allen picked up two early fouls and played two
scoreless minutes in the first half, junior Dorenzo Hudson held the Hokies
together.
Hudson, who scored 4.6 points as a sophomore, has increased his scoring average
to 13.7 this season.
He had a team-high 15 points Saturday night, with Delaney and Allen chipping in
13 apiece.
The Cavaliers (14-8, 5-4 ACC) got a combined 37 points and 19 rebounds from Mike
Scott and Sylven Landesberg but almost nothing from anybody else.
Until Sammy Zeglinski scored on a lightly contested layup with seven seconds
remaining, Scott and Landesberg were the only UVa players with more than one
field goal.
"We want to make [Scott and Landesberg] work as much as we can," Greenberg said,
"but we can't let someone else stand up and be a hero. That was our thing."
Not that Greenberg doesn't respect UVa's supporting cast.
"When Zeglinski gets it rolling, they're tough," Greenberg said. "[Mustapha]
Farrakhan can go off on you, too. Same thing with Jeff Jones."
The trio of Zeglinski, Farrakhan and Jones was a combined 3-for-13 on Saturday
night. Freshman Jontel Evans and fifth-year senior Calvin Baker shared
point-guard duties and were a combined 1-for-7.
The Cavaliers shot 32.8 percent from the field Saturday night, that coming after
a 33.8-percent shooting performance one week earlier in a 64-61 overtime loss to
Wake Forest.
"We're searching," said UVa coach Tony Bennett, whose Cavaliers headed straight
to Maryland, where they will play at 8 p.m. today in the makeup of a game that
was postponed by snow Wednesday.
"That third scorer, whoever is it, that's important. I look down on their stat
sheet and see three players in double figures. Defense will keep you in there,
but you've got to make some shots. It's hard to win it [exclusively] with your
defense.
"We'll look at tape, certainly. If they get quality looks, that's all you can
ask. If they're forcing, then we've got to address that."
Clearly, Virginia had some defensive breakdowns while the Hokies scored on their
last seven possessions of the game, but some of those points came when the
Cavaliers were forced to foul.
An enthusiastic Tech crowd serenaded the Cavaliers with chants of "Just like
football" in the game's closing minutes and UVa now has lost five of the last
seven games in the men's basketball series between the teams.
Three of those losses have come in overtime, including a 76-71 affair only 16
days earlier in Charlottesville, where Virginia squandered a 10-point lead in
the last three minutes.
Tech went on a 13-0 run late in regulation in Charlottesville, and the Hokies
had a 13-2 run Saturday night before Zeglinski's late bucket.
"We've left some [wins] out there," Scott said. "Both of these Tech games,
certainly, we could have won."
How much more could Virginia have asked Saturday night than to hold Tech to
37-percent shooting from the field, outrebound the Hokies 43-38 and commit just
nine turnovers?
"It's disheartening," Zeglinski said.
"It would have been a big win for us, like a lot of other close ones we've let
slip away. Down the stretch, we've got to learn how to win these games. There's
a lot of season left."
Zeglinski was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers and scored 19 points Jan. 31 in a 75-60 win
at North Carolina. He has scored a total of 15 points in three subsequent games,
going 6-for-27 from the field, including 3-for-17 on 3-pointers.
"For whatever reason, I'm just not making them," he said. "I'm going to keep
working hard as I can and try and fix this as soon as I can. I'm going to have
to step up."
Bennett is known for his defense, the Pack Line, that was popularized by his
father, Dick, at several stops. But, the Cavaliers don't have a patent on good
defense.
"We're prideful," Greenberg said.
"We believe we're a good defensive team. We work really hard at it. We're
respectful of what [the Cavaliers] do. They've got an identity and a personality
and we think we've got an identity and a personality.
"This isn't like they're bad and we're good. You've got two teams that mirror
each other and probably will be very competitive for a while."
Terps' focus on Cavaliers
UM looks ahead, not back on loss to Duke
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Maryland Terrapins
By Jeff Barker | jeff.barker@baltsun.com
February 15, 2010
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Perhaps it is a blessing that Maryland can barely reflect on its 21-point loss
at Duke - a game the Terrapins would just as soon forget.
Reflection would take time, and there is precious little of that as the Terps
(16-7, 6-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) practiced Sunday for tonight's game
against Virginia (14-8, 5-4).
Maryland "spent no time reviewing [Saturday's] game," Terrapins coach Gary
Williams said in a media conference call Sunday.
He said the team ate together, studied Virginia's 61-55 loss to Virginia Tech
and practiced Sunday afternoon.
Maryland fell, 77-56, at Duke on Saturday in a game the Blue Devils led by 16
points at the half.
"Let's not panic. We're going to be fine," senior guard Greivis Vasquez said
afterward.
It was the first ACC game in which the Terps were not close. "We've played
really well on the road," Williams said. "One game doesn't determine - out of
your eight road games - how you've played on the road."
The Terps are 2-3 in league road games, with the other defeats coming by nine
points to Clemson and two points to Wake Forest in overtime.
Maryland is 4-0 in the conference at home, with all the victories - except the
77-68 win over Florida State - coming by double digits.
The Duke game began a stretch of three games in five days for the Terps. The
congested schedule was caused by the rescheduling of the Virginia game from last
Wednesday because of the most recent winter storm.
It helps the Terps that Virginia is in a similar situation. The Cavaliers also
played on the road Saturday.
"Virginia has one day to get ready, too," Williams said. "As long as it's even,
then you go play."
Virginia plays a sagging man-to-man defense and leads the ACC in scoring defense
at 61 points per game. The Cavaliers, who have been prone to playing low-scoring
games, are led by 6-foot-6 sophomore Sylven Landesberg (18.0 points per game).
The Cavaliers have lost two games in a row - to Wake Forest and Virginia Tech -
but Landesberg combined for 45 points in the contests.
Virginia had traveled by bus to Maryland last week. The team spent the night in
Greenbelt, then turned around and went back on the bus when the game was
postponed the next morning.
Win or lose, at least the Cavaliers will play a game on this trip.
"The challenging thing now for both teams is three games in five days without as
much preparation time," Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett said after the
postponement. "But you make the best of that and look at it as another
challenge."
Terps’ Greivis a grievance for Cavaliers
By Whitey Reid
Published: February 14, 2010
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nowBuzz up!
Recently, when asked what to expect out of Maryland, Virginia guard Sylven
Landesberg was quite succinct.
“Greivis,” Landesberg said.
Yes, just like Prince or Madonna, Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez doesn’t need
much of an introduction.
Following last season, Vasquez declared for the NBA draft but elected to return
for his senior year after he realized he wasn’t a surefire first-round pick.
The charismatic senior guard is what makes the Terrapins tick. Without the
6-foot-6 Venezuelan, Maryland is probably a borderline NCAA team this season.
Instead, Maryland (16-7, 6-3) is in fourth place in the ACC, one game up on
Virginia (14-8, 5-4), heading into tonight’s clash at the Comcast Center. The
game was originally scheduled for last Wednesday, but was postponed because of
heavy snowfall in the area.
“It will be another gut-check time,” said Virginia coach Tony Bennett. “You
know, in this league there are no easy ones.”
Bennett, whose team is coming off a tough loss to rival Virginia Tech on
Saturday night, would love for Vasquez to be in the NBA right now.
“He’s so complete,” Bennett said. “He’s fast and quick. I don’t know that he has
the quickness of [Wake Forest guard] Ish Smith, but he has the size and the
ability to pass and shoot and score in a variety of ways.
“He can post you up…you’ve got a multi-dimensional player that if you lay off in
one area, he’ll hurt you in other ways. And he certainly has the energy and
emotion to get his team going. So with guys like that you have to figure out
ways to make them earn everything and not give them the easy ones.”
Vasquez is fourth in the ACC in scoring (18.0) and first in assists (6.2). His
play, often times, can be infectious.
“He’s having a great senior year,” said Maryland coach Gary Williams, “and I
think he’s helped his situation by coming back, and obviously he’s helped us
also.”
The first player to likely get a crack at defending Vasquez will be freshman
Jontel Evans. “This whole year I’ve had challenges of guarding the other team’s
best player,” Evans said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Defending hasn’t been Virginia’s issue lately, though. Putting the ball in the
basket has been the Cavaliers’ biggest bugaboo. In the loss to Tech, UVa gave
new meaning to the phrase bricklaying, shooting just 33 percent, including 17
percent from 3-point range.
But Williams, whose squad is coming off a 21-point loss to Duke, probably isn’t
expecting that kind of ineptitude to continue tonight.
“Virginia’s a talented team,” Williams said. “I think people kind of
underestimate their talent sometimes.
“When you have a talented team that works hard, then they win games — and that’s
what Virginia’s doing.”
Dunks
Maryland leads the all-time series, 103-68. The teams have split the last four
meetings. Virginia won the most recent meeting — a Mamadi Diane-led Senior Day
victory last season. ...UVa is allowing the fewest points per game in the ACC
(61.0), while Maryland is scoring the second most (79.1).
Terps focus on U.Va.
By Steve Yanda
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, February 15, 2010
After a postgame news conference following his team's worst loss of the season
to date, Maryland Coach Gary Williams walked down a Cameron Indoor Stadium
hallway lined with photos of past Duke teams -- some Williams had coached
against, others that preceded his tenure at Maryland.
While the black and white images stared out at Williams as he strode by, the
Terrapins coach looked straight ahead -- to the end of the corridor, to the next
practice, to the next game, which in this case is Monday night when Maryland
(16-7, 6-3) hosts Virginia (14-8, 5-4) at Comcast Center.
He says it's the only way he knows how to manage a season. That such a mind-set
helps eradicate memories of the Terrapins' 21-point loss at Duke on Saturday and
shift attention toward a matchup two days later against the Cavaliers might
simply be a bonus.
"Spent no time reviewing yesterday's game," Williams said Sunday in a
teleconference call.
Perhaps that's for the best. Maryland's performance at Duke stood in stark
contrast to the manner in which the Terrapins had previously competed in ACC
play. They were not aggressive enough on offense, nor were they sound enough on
defense to close the sizable gap the Blue Devils created at the game's outset.
For an experienced team hailed often by Williams for its collective
intelligence, Maryland operated out of sync and out of character for most of the
afternoon in Durham.
It might seem, then, that having another opportunity to regain some of the
momentum the Terrapins generated in recent weeks while rising to the upper
echelon of the conference standings so soon after they faltered would be
enticing. Maryland originally was scheduled to play Virginia last Wednesday, but
the game was postponed to Monday due to the severe winter weather that pummeled
the region.
Williams, however, dismissed such a sentiment.
"What's there to think about?" Williams said. "You know, we've won two games on
the road. We lost down there like everyone else has done so far this year, so
we're not embarrassed. We'll be ready to go Monday night. That's the key, you
know, is not to let one game take you away."
Preferably, Williams said, his team would have more than one day to prepare for
a Virginia squad that has coalesced surprisingly quickly under first-year Coach
Tony Bennett. After finishing last season 4-12 in ACC play, the Cavaliers bought
in quickly to Bennett's discipline-based, defensive-oriented system and reside
in the top half of the conference standings.
But Virginia, likewise, has only one day to prepare for the Terrapins. The
Cavaliers dropped a six-point decision Saturday night at Virginia Tech. Maryland
players watched that game together at Comcast Center upon returning from Duke.
Much like their coach, the Terrapins also were looking to put their most recent
game behind them as quickly as possible.
Following Saturday's loss, senior guard Greivis Vasquez -- typically one of
Maryland's more effusive players -- mostly provided abrupt responses. He was
asked to expand on Williams's assessment that the Terrapins must play a very
particular way in order to perform well.
"That's running the offense whether they're switching [defensive assignments] or
not," Vasquez said. "So we didn't and we paid the price."
Junior guard Cliff Tucker said Duke's defensive pressure forced Maryland to rush
shots in the first half Saturday. Tucker noticed the Blue Devils were
"overplaying" the Terrapins in one-on-one situations and was able to provide his
team a spark upon entry by driving into the lane. He tallied eight of his 12
points before halftime.
"I thought I did well in the first half," Tucker said. "They kind of adjusted to
it in the second half. And then we started rushing again. I don't know. We just
got to forget about this and come back strong on Monday."
Virginia eyes ITA three-peat
By Whitey Reid
Published: February 14, 2010
Updated: February 14, 2010
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nowBuzz up!
First came the gasps, then the applause, which turned into a giant roar.
Virginia’s Jarmere Jenkins had just hit the shot of the tournament.
Playing in the semifinals of the ITA Indoors on Sunday at the Boar’s Head,
Jenkins had raced to the baseline to retrieve a lob and rifled a shot — between
his legs — for a winner.
“I missed it,” said Virginia coach Brian Boland, who was on another court at the
time of Jenkins’ shot, “but I heard the noise.”
There was even more of it a short time later when junior Sanam Singh blasted a
winner of his own to take his match and send Virginia into today’s finals
against Tennessee.
Jenkins lost his match, but his teammates more than picked up the slack, as UVa
defeated Ohio State 4-1 in front of another standing-room-only crowd.
“We came out and started really strong in singles, which I thought was a big
key,” said Boland, whose team will be going for a three-peat today. “We were
able to get off to good starts in almost every court and we kept that momentum.”
Virginia was particularly dominant in the lower half of its singles lineup.
Senior Houston Barrick and sophomore Drew Courtney easily disposed of their
Buckeye opponents in straight sets.
“Houston was an inspiring leader today, which is what you expect from a
fourth-year playing in his last national indoor,” Boland said. “He has so much
experience and has had a tremendous amount of success in this tournament.
“[He] had a lot of fire. I thought he played really well and served well. When
he serves well, the rest of his game comes together. He really was aggressive
and took the ball early off the ground. And when he played a little bit of
defense, he was pretty crafty and was able to bring [his opponent] in and get
him out of sync.”
Barrick was pleased with his performance.
“It’s a big moment,” he said. “Ohio State is a great team. I thought we came out
well in the doubles point and carried it over into singles. We all played well.
Drew played great and Sanam finished off with a win there.
“It was a great day for the Hoos.”
Added Courtney: “I think we came out with a lot of firepower today and a lot of
intensity, especially in doubles, which really helped.
“But the job’s not done. We need to be just as fired up [today].”
Virginia got off to a strong start, winning the doubles point. It didn’t come as
easy as it had in the two previous matches, though.
Singh and Lee Singer lost at the No. 3 position. However, Michael Shabaz and
Courtney won a hard-fought battle at
No. 1, 8-6.
Moments later, Jenkins and Barrick wrapped things up with an 8-5 win at No. 2.
The victory ended in unusual fashion. Leading 7-5, Jenkins and Barrick won a
deuce point, and, subsequently, the match, after an Ohio State player slammed
his racket in frustration, which resulted in a code violation.
Ohio State coach Ty Tucker said the better team won.
“The courts were a little bit quicker than we’re used to, but they played well —
no complaining here,” Tucker said. “I don’t know if we would have beaten them in
mud today. “They definitely know how to play on some courts that slide. They’re
a bunch of great athletes and have a great coaching staff. Everybody knows why
they’re top three or four in the country year in and year out.”
Tucker predicted a Wahoo three-peat.
“Tennessee might have a little bit more talent,” he said, “but they’ll have to
play [well] to beat them in this building.
“If I had to bet, I’d probably have to pick Virginia.”
Virginia Advance to NTI Final with 4-1 Win Over Ohio State
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 02/14/2010
CHARLOTTESVILLE – Second-seeded Virginia advanced to its third consecutive ITA
National Team Indoor Championship final with a 4-1 win over third-seeded Ohio
State Sunday afternoon at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar’s Head Sports
Club. The Cavaliers will look to win its third consecutive title on Monday at
noon when they meet fifth-seeded Tennessee in the final.
“We have been coming out with a lot of energy every day and a big reason for
that is our fans,” said Virginia head coach Brian Boland. “Every match has had a
great atmosphere and our guys just feed off that. I have been pleased with our
focus and composure throughout the tournament.”
The Cavaliers (7-1) took a 1-0 lead in the match by winning the doubles point.
Ohio State (8-1) took an early edge as Matt Allare and Shuhei Uzawa topped Lee
Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) 8-5 at No. 3
doubles. Seconds later the Cavaliers drew even as Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.)
and Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) defeated Justin Kronauge and Chase Buchanan 8-6
at the No. 1 position. Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Jarmere Jenkins
(College Park, Ga.) clinched the opening point with their 8-5 win at No. 2 over
Dino Marcan and Balasz Novak.
“Doubles has been giving us a lot of momentum,” said Boland. “When you head into
singles after winning the doubles, you can either use that momentum or waste it.
We have been doing a good job of jumping out strong in singles.”
Virginia won four of the six first sets and won three matches in straight sets.
Courtney topped Uzawa 6-3, 6-3 at No. 4 singles, Barrick won 6-2, 6-4 over Novak
at No. 5 singles and Singh clinched the victory with his 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 2
over Kronuage.
“We have been playing great across the board, from No. 1 to No. 6 in the
lineup,” said Boland. “It was a total team effort and we are going to need
another one tomorrow against a tough Tennessee team.”
Tennessee advanced to the final with a 4-1 win over eighth-seeded Texas in
Sunday’s other semifinal.
Virginia will be looking to win its third consecutive ITA National Team Indoor
Championship. Stanford, who won the first three tournaments held from 1973-76,
is the only school to win three consecutive tournament titles.
Monday’s match is set for noon at the Boar’s Head Sports Club and admission is
free.
No. 2 Virginia 4, No. 3 Ohio State 1
Doubles:
1. Courtney/Shabaz (UVa) def. Buchanan/Kronauge (OSU) 8-6
2. Barrick/Jenkins (UVa) def. Marcan/Novak (OSU) 8-5
3. Allare/Uzawa (OSU) def. Singh/Singer (UVa) 8-5
Singles:
1. #3 Michael Shabaz (UVa) vs. #103 Chase Buchanan (OSU) 4-6, 6-3, 0-0 DNF
2. #12 Sanam Singh (UVa) def. Justin Kronauge (OSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Dino Marcan (OSU) def. #16 Jarmere Jenkins (UVa) 6-1, 6-4
4. #31 Drew Courtney (UVa) def. #34 Shuhei Uzawa (OSU) 6-3, 6-3
5. #58 Houston Barrick (UVa) def. Balazs Novak (OSU) 6-2, 6-4
6. #28 Lee Singer (UVa) led Matt Allare (OSU) 6-3, 3-4 DNF
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 3,1,2
Singles: 4,3,5,2