3/14/08 - Back to the Future

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Coach-Player More Like 'Father-Son'
Virginia's Leitao, Singletary Have A Special Bond
By Adam Kilgore
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 13, 2008; Page E05

CHARLOTTE, March 12 -- Sean Singletary walked into his new coach's office for the first time nearly four years ago, unsure of what to think. His freshman year had recently ended, and he vowed not to let the tumult of the change from Pete Gillen to Dave Leitao affect his Virginia basketball career. Just play basketball, he thought.

So when Singletary met Leitao, he expected little more than a quick chat. As they talked -- about basketball, about their childhoods, about life -- it became something more than a conversation. Singletary stayed in the office for two hours.

"There was so much emotion," Singletary said. "We laughed together, cried together. It was like a storybook type of thing. It was just great for us. We talked about family, youth, mistakes that we made. Things like that. How he was when he was young. At points, we talked about our past and our family. It was emotional."

Their relationship as player and coach may end Thursday night, when 10th-seeded Virginia plays in the first round of the ACC tournament against Georgia Tech. But the bond Singletary and Leitao forged during that first meeting, they both said, will endure beyond Singletary's magnificent college career.

"It was a start of a life-long relationship that the two of us have and will continue to have," Leitao said. "We were able to share each other and be revealing to one another. I don't know that I could be any more thankful and blessed to be presented with a young man like him."

Neither Leitao nor Singletary shared details of their two-hour meeting, preferring to keep them private. Both are introverts who express themselves through competitive spirits. Singletary grew up in Philadelphia, Leitao in New Bedford, Mass. Singletary's father worked as a police detective, Leitao's on a merchant marine ship.

"The bottom line to that is there's a commonality between us," Leitao said. "There's many times that we've shared that commonality with each other. We're both competitive. We're both focused."

Singletary and Leitao speak or text message at least three times a week about topics not related to basketball. Freshman forward Mike Scott said he walked into Leitao's office several times this season to speak with Leitao, only to find Singletary already there.

"It's more than a player-coach relationship," Scott said. "It's like a father-son relationship. It's something I want to have with Coach Leitao."

On the court, Singletary barks plays and communicates in the same manner as Leitao, teammates said. As his career wore on, Singletary began mimicking Leitao in small ways -- his facial expressions, the way he stood, how he moved his hands as he instructed a teammate in practice.

"Coach Leitao is like Sean's dad in a way," forward Adrian Joseph said. "The relationship they have is indescribable. Words don't say it. It shows on the court. He plays the same way Coach Leitao coaches."

Sometimes, that means clashing with Leitao. Once during a game, Singletary kept the ball rather than passing to a teammate curling around a screen as the play demanded. Leitao forcefully asked why Singletary didn't pass.

"He wasn't open," Singletary yelled across the court.

"He was open," Leitao screamed back.

"I didn't want to turn the ball over," Singletary replied.

Leitao accepted Singletary's explanation, but still believed he was right.

"Even if they disagree with something, you can tell the respect is there," guard Calvin Baker said. "That was real helpful to the team, because Coach Leitao likes when players go back at him."

Said Singletary: "Even though during the season he yells at us, we understand each other. I'm an extension of him. You probably hear that a lot when it comes point guards and coaches. But it's really true with him."

Leitao and Singletary needed their mutual understanding this season more than any other. The Cavaliers, expected to finish near the top of the ACC standings, spiraled downward after a series of injuries and shortcomings by role players. Virginia lost 10 of 11 games and seven straight at its lowest point.

Singletary returned for his senior season after withdrawing his name from the NBA draft, but he struggled through a nagging hip injury as his team sank. Leitao faced more criticism from fans than he ever had at Virginia.

"We can kind of go hand in hand through a lot of these things," Leitao said. "It comes from the knowledge of one another. I can look to him and he can look to me in times of need."

Leitao also relied on Singletary to maintain the Cavaliers' fragile morale. Even as Virginia searched for answers, the team never frayed and Singletary never took out his concerns on teammates, Leitao said.

"He rarely, if ever, got frustrated," Leitao said. "If he ever got frustrated, it was from a basketball standpoint. He's a special, special individual."

Singletary has enjoyed a singular career at Virginia. He's already surpassed 2,000 points, and his name hangs from the rafters at John Paul Jones Arena, after his jersey was retired during the Cavaliers' last home game. He returned for this season primarily to earn his college degree, and after completing 12 credit hours this semester, he will.

But perhaps most of all, Singletary will cherish his time with Leitao. At the start, he decided he would not allow the coaching change to alter his career. In the end, he could not have been more pleased that it did.

"Coach is so much like me," Singletary said. "I think it was a change for the better."

An early exit for Virginia
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 14, 2008

CHARLOTTE - NCAA - no way. NIT - probably not. CBI - who knows?

How about RIP?

Well, that’s probably one of the surest abbreviations for the Virginia men’s basketball team following its meltdown in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Thursday night.

Georgia Tech, behind 18 points apiece from seniors Jeremis Smith and Anthony Morrow, pounded Virginia, 94-76, in front of an announced crowd of 20,035 at Charlotte Bobcat Arena.

“Every team in America is only promised one game this week,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao. “Georgia Tech did a really good job of being the aggressor tonight, starting in the first few minutes of the game.

“They were in attack mode offensively. We gave up 24 points in about eight minutes and we were playing uphill from there mentally.”

The loss by Virginia marked the program’s earliest exit from the tournament since the 1999 season when UVa lost to Duke in the first round. The Cavaliers had made it to the quarterfinals in each of the last eight seasons.

No, this was certainly not the way Virginia senior Sean Singletary wanted to end his illustrious career.

Singletary was given a loud ovation when he checked out of the game for the final time with 36 seconds remaining, his squad trailing by 16.

“I was fairly aware that everyone was applauding,” Singletary said, “but at the same time I hate to lose. Nobody wants to go out losing.”

Singletary led Virginia with 20 points and 10 assists. However, he was neutralized during key moments of the game by a defense that was 100 percent committed to shutting him down.

“They depend on him so much,” said Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt, whose team will play Duke in the quarterfinals tonight at 7 p.m. “Our whole gameplan was to keep the ball out of his hands.”

The Yellow Jacket who deserved much of the credit for containing Singletary was junior guard D’Andre Bell.

“I don’t think he gets his due,” Hewitt said. “He’s guarded lots of different types of players and made them have some tough nights.”

Meanwhile, the 10th-seeded Wahoos (15-15) saved one of their worst defensive performances for last. Georgia Tech shot a whopping 57 percent from the field, including a gaudy 54 percent (13 of 24) from 3-point range.

Virginia, somewhat remarkably given its porous ‘D,’ was able to take a 56-51 lead on a 3-pointer by freshman Mike Scott. However, seventh-seeded Georgia Tech (15-16) answered right back with a triple by Mo Miller, then proceeded to outscore UVa 16-5 over the next four-plus minutes.

A Singletary free throw pulled Virginia to 70-64 with just under 9 minutes to play, but a 13-4 spurt by Tech sent UVa packing.

“It’s definitely a bad way to end it, especially being a senior,” said Virginia big man Ryan Pettinella, who had seven points and five rebounds in his final college game. “We thought we’d make a better run in the tournament.”

In the first half, Virginia was able to stay close thanks to Mamadi Diane (18 points), who hit all five of his shots (including four 3-pointers).

Overall, UVa - which trailed by as many as five points - shot 42 percent from the field and trailed 44-42 at the break.

“I think we came in with a great mentality and were ready to play,” Pettinella said. “We knew Georgia Tech, but we broke down defensively in the second half. That’s what’s killed us. Unfortunately, that was the case for us in a lot of games this year.”

After the game, Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage said he was open to the idea of Virginia playing in the new CBI postseason tournament.

Singletary, who had never heard of the CBI until reporters mentioned it to him, was more than open to it.

“Of course,” he said. “I feel like this is what I want to do. I want to make a career in basketball, so when somebody tells me I have another game, I’m happy.”

Virginia will learn its postseason fate on Sunday evening, following the NCAA Tournament selection show.

“There are three as opposed to two postseason tournaments,” said Leitao, alluding to the NCAA, NIT and CBI, “so that means more teams will play and we could be one of them. I don’t know - because I don’t have any say in it - if today is it or not it.”

Not hard to pinpoint reason for Virginia's demise
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
March 14, 2008

CHARLOTTE -

When Dave Leitao retires some day and reflects back on his career, he’ll blow the dust off the 2007-08 season and remember that this was the team that couldn’t, or wouldn’t play defense.

All season long, after narrow escapes over mid-majors, a series of close losses when they couldn’t seal the deal, there really wasn’t much mystery as to why Virginia’s basketball team was destined to finish near the bottom of the ACC.

DEE-FENSE.

The lack of defense rose up and bit the Cavaliers once again Thursday night in the opening round of the ACC Tournament as Georgia Tech, sliced, diced and shishkabobbed Virginia in a 94-76 defeat that squashed any Wahoo dreams of a season-salvaging miracle run.

While the Cavs appeared to have a chance at halftime despite their defensive shortcomings (they trailed the Yellow Jackets 44-42), Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt knew his team was in good shape. He remembered the similarity of Tech’s overtime win in Charlottesville back in January when the two teams matched baskets, but his team eventually won because Virginia stopped playing defense.

Staying close

The Cavaliers got by with it in the first half, trailing by two even though the Jackets shot 56.7 percent.

But the second half was a different story. Tech picked up the tempo, hit a blistering 59.3 percent of their shots (16 of 27), and even hit 58.3 percent of their 3-point shots (7 of 12) to blow Virginia out of the water, 50-34 in the final 20 minutes.

Even the grit and will of Sean Singletary couldn’t stem the tide as Tech attacked from every angle, inside, outside, way outside.

Tech’s 13 treys were the most ever by a Yellow Jacket team in the ACC Tournament, and that’s a span that covers some pretty good-shooting teams from Atlanta. Meanwhile, UVa’s offense went flat and that’s why the Cavaliers packed up and flew home last night with a 15-15 record to show for their efforts.

Pointing the finger

Defense, or rather a lack of it, can be pinpointed as the culprit that did in this bunch of Wahoos.

Last year, when UVa finished as regular season co-champions, the Cavs finished second in the ACC in field goal percentage defense (.408). This year, finishing as the 10th seed and an opening round loss, Virginia was ranked next-to-last in field goal percentage defense (.443).

Last year, only four teams shot 50 percent or better against UVa (two of those came in the Cavs’ December meltdown in Puerto Rico). This season, Georgia Tech became the ninth team to hit at least 50 percent against Virginia.

“Defense, for 100 years of basketball, has been three quarters mentality and the other portion execution, knowledge, and know how,” Leitao said after giving up 94 to the Jackets. “Most players in this age, especially if they reach a certain level, have judged their success or failure on offense. They run to the boxscore to see how many points they scored.

“Most, if not all defensive-minded people or teams, turn that mentality into ‘How did we do today defensively?’ ‘Did I stop my man?’ That is a process that we have not grabbed hold of for most of the year,” Leitao said. “When we have, it hasn’t stayed with us for long enough stretches.”

Since Leitao preaches defense on a daily basis, believes in defense deep in his soul, bases everything in his basketball philosophy on defense, isn’t it his job to make sure his players carry out the message?

If you don’t play defense, you don’t play. Out of 15 players, there’s bound to be five who would get it.

Can you imagine what would happen to Duke’s players if they stopped playing defense? How long do you think Mike Krzyzewski would allow that to continue?

As tough as Leitao is, maybe he will have to get tougher to get his point across to his players. Play defense or sit.

Singletary who most likely played the last game of his career and finished with 20 points and 10 assists, said defense was missing, but so were some other intangibles in Virginia’s early exit. Some of it, he said, could be blamed on youth.

“It’s a team thing,” he said, clearly bummed out that his UVa career had come to an end. “Last year, it wasn’t size, it wasn’t height. It was that we had experience. Most of us had been through the wars together. Most of the guys that played this year were young. It’s a learning process and they’ve got to learn. No matter how much talent you’ve got out there, without experience it’s tough to win.”

Singletary said the team was missing a winning feeling.

“The passion wasn’t there,” said Singletary, who received a standing ovation from the crowd. “You have to stick together through thick and thin. In the end, you’ve got to be a team. You’ve got to be though, you’ve got to be together. That’s what wins games, especially in the postseason. If we’re there for each other, sacrificing for each other, we win the game. But we really weren’t there for each other tonight.”

Again, Singletary blamed it on youth.

Still, when your opponent is scoring at will - and, as Singletary said, maybe that goes back to having a lot of young players - it’s hard to beat anybody.

And that’s when you get back on the bus and fly home. That’s also why, when Leitao retires some day, he may choose to skip over this season and let it just continue to collect dust.

All Cavs have left to do is hope
Poor defensive play casts doubt on postseason chances
Friday, Mar 14, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Maybe the NIT will invite Virginia to be part of its 32-team field, but that's anything but a sure thing. The Cavaliers are more likely to end up in the College Basketball Invitational, a new 16-team tournament.

It may turn out, however, that U.Va. played its final game last night at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. If so, the Wahoos can blame their demise on a defensive performance that, even by their standards this season, was awful.

No. 7 seed Georgia Tech shot 56.9 percent from the floor and blitzed No. 10 seed Virginia 94-76 in the ACC tournament's first round. That marked the ninth time in its past 18 games that U.Va. (15-15) has allowed its opponent to make more than half of its field-goal attempts. And that's the main reason why Virginia, for the first time since 1999, will not play in an ACC quarterfinal.

"It's happened a number of times this year for a number of reasons," said Dave Leitao, Virginia's third-year coach. "It's upsetting and disappointing at the same time. You have to look at every phase of what went wrong and try to correct those things."

The Yellow Jackets (15-16), who'll meet No. 2 seed Duke (26-4) in today's 7 p.m. quarterfinal, hit 13 of 24 shots from beyond the 3-point arc last night. Senior guard Anthony Morrow, playing in his hometown, led the barrage with a season-high six treys, and freshman point guard Moe Miller added a career-high four.

Still, the final score notwithstanding, this was a close game for the first eight minutes of the second half. Virginia led by five with 14:22 left, in fact, and the game was tied with 11:25 to play.

From there, though, the Jackets buried Virginia with a remarkable show of offensive efficiency. Their defense dominated, too. Wherever Virginia's all-ACC guard, 6-0 senior Sean Singletary, went, at least one Jacket followed, and usually two.

Eventually, Singletary wore down. He finished with a team-high 20 points and added 10 assists, but he made only 4 of 14 shots from the floor and turned the ball over six teams. D'Andre Bell, a 6-5, 210-pound junior, led Georgia Tech's effort against Singletary, who received a standing ovation from the crowd when he walked to the bench with 36.3 seconds left.

Leitao called Singletary a "player for the ages," and slowing No. 44 was Georgia Tech's No. 1 goal.

"They depend on him so much," Jackets coach Paul Hewitt said. "Our whole game plan to keep the ball out of his hands and make him work to get every catch."

Mamadi Diane scored 18 points for Virginia, but the junior forward, brilliant for the first 22 minutes, was not a factor the rest of the way.

At halftime, Diane was 5 for 5 from the floor, with four 3-pointers, and he connected on his first two shots of the second half. But he missed his final six, and as Diane faded, so did the Cavaliers. Scott scored 10 points, but two other players on whom Virginia depends for scoring -- senior forward Adrian Joseph and sophomore guard Calvin Baker -- combined for only three.

And now U.Va. must wait until Sunday night to see if it will play again this season.

"We congratulated our seniors [in the locker room] as if it was our last game," Diane said, but the Cavaliers hope that's not the case.

"If there's a chance we get to play, we want to play," Scott said.

Singletary said: "Of course. I feel like this is what I do. I play basketball. I want to make a career of basketball, so when somebody tells me I have another game, I'm happy."

When these teams met Jan. 21 at John Paul Jones Arena, U.Va. went 9 for 18 on 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes. It was 8 for 17 from long range before intermission last night, and Scott's second 3-pointer made it 56-51 in the second half. Pick up the pace, Hewitt told his players.

"We got really sloppy, we were tentative, and the game slowed down to a crawl, and that's not what we wanted," Hewitt said. "We wanted the game to go fast."

As horn sounds for Singletary, a fitting ovation
Friday, Mar 14, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By BOB LIPPER
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- With 36.3 seconds to go last night and the cause lost, Sean Singletary walked slowly to the bench for the final time in a meaningful college basketball game.

And the crowd stood en masse and applauded.

Virginia's fans applauded. Georgia Tech's fans applauded. Neutral fans applauded. Fans in the lower bowl applauded. Fans in the upper deck applauded.

Tech coach Paul Hewitt applauded.

It was a very special and very bittersweet moment.

It was ACC basketball's way of saying goodbye.

As the tribute washed over him, Singletary bent at the waist, spent, drained, wrung out -- his last on-the-run shot attempt uncharacteristically having found the underside of the rim, his efforts at lugging U.Va. deeper into its league's tournament repelled. He'd done all he could. There was nothing left to give.

Which essentially is how he's performed his entire career.

Except now it's done. Oh, sure, maybe the Cavs somehow extract an invitation to the second-echelon NIT or the third-rate CBI (whatever that creation is), but we're talking minor-league stuff there. Sean Singletary's days in a U.Va. uniform ended for all intents and purposes with this 94-76 loss to Georgia Tech.

And an ovation.

"I was fairly aware everybody was applauding," he said. "At the same time, I hate to lose. Nobody wants to go out losing. I appreciate the support I've been given my entire career, and it's time to move on."

His ACC swan song wasn't a rouser. Singletary did have 20 points and 10 assists -- eight before intermission. But he was a was a 2-for-7 scattershot in each half and had six turnovers as the Jackets threw everybody at him this side of the tuba section in the pep band. Singletary might not admit it, but he looked like a tired puppy with 36.3 to go.

"It's very difficult to constantly be double-teamed . . . set up the offense, make a play for your teammates, make a play for yourself," U.Va. coach Dave Leitao said. "It really fell a lot on his shoulders today."

That's how it's been for most of Singletary's four years -- the exception being last season when J.R. Reynolds helped carry the load. That's the only time the Cavs were more than a break-even plugger. Now they're about to discover what life without him will be like.

"Man, it's hard to imagine when you've seen a player be the face of a university for four years," Calvin Baker said on Wednesday. "It's going to be a different look next year. We'll be losing our top assist man and our top scorer. Through the season, you've seen flashes of one player or another stepping up. If we can continue to do that, we'll be all right."

They were much less than all right last night. The second-worst defense in the ACC against league opponents was lit up for 57 percent accuracy. The offense deteriorated to a 39 percent mess. Seven different Georgia Tech players were credited with assists. Only Baker, with four, and Mike Scott, with one, joined Singletary in that department.

He's the creator, in other words. The finisher, too. The alpha and omega. The guy who makes it happen -- something he did for three-fourths of this game until Tech's defensive platooning took the starch out of him.

"Individually, I think I did all right," Singletary said. "I turned the ball over a little bit too much, but I had 10 assists. I was trying to be aggressive, but we just weren't able to stick together."

Close your eyes and imagine U.Va.'s lineup without him. It's not a pretty picture.

"My time has come to an end," he said.

The fans will miss him. These Cavs -- next year's Cavs -- will miss him much, much more.

Cavs taken down
Georgia Tech rolls UVa to reach the quarterfinals.
By Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When it came to the season's third meeting between Virginia and Georgia Tech, Paul Hewitt was a better coach than prognosticator.

The Cavaliers only wish that Hewitt had been correct when he predicted a one-possession game.

The Yellow Jackets, who trailed by five points with less than 15 minutes remaining, used full-court pressure to wear down Virginia and emerged with a 94-76 victory in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

Seventh-seeded Georgia Tech (15-16) advanced to the quarterfinals, where the Yellow Jackets will meet second-seeded Duke at 7 tonight at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Virginia (15-15) returns home not knowing if it's season is over.

UVa coach Dave Leitao and senior point guard Sean Singletary spoke as if the season had ended, although the Cavaliers realistically could play in the National Invitation Tournament or the College Basketball Invitational, a postseason event that is new this year.

"The only reason I'm not thinking like that is, it's out of my hands," Leitao said.

Although the Cavaliers led 56-51 after a Mike Scott 3-pointer with 14:26 remaining Thursday, Leitao never felt that victory -- or even momentum -- was within the Cavaliers' grasp.

Defensively challenged Virginia never could stop the Yellow Jackets, who shot 59.3 percent in the second half and 57.9 for the game.

It was the end of an era for the Cavaliers, who saw Singletary bow out of ACC Tournament play with the fifth double-double of his career and fourth this season. Singletary made only four of 14 shots from the field but had 20 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and three steals -- team highs in all categories.

Singletary also logged a team-high 33 minutes, but got more rest than usual, leading some to wonder if he was ailing or injured.

"It's very, very, very difficult to constantly have two people guard you for 94 feet, set up the offense, make a play for yourself [or] make a play for your teammate," Leitao said.

"We didn't have anybody else making plays for us -- penetrating, dictating, screen-and-roll action.

"It really fell on his shoulders today, and then to come down and guard two very aggressive point guards in [Matt] Causey and [Moe] Miller, part of that gets anybody winded. So we were just a little bit more judicious in getting him in and out."

That was the idea, Hewitt said.

"They depend on him so much," Hewitt said. "Our whole game plan was to try to keep the ball out of his hands and work to make every catch. Any time you've got a great player like that, your No. 1 objective is to try and keep the ball out of his hands and eliminate him from the game."

D'Andre Bell, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound junior, had primary responsibility for Singletary (6-0, 185).

"I think D'Andre is a great defender," Hewitt said.

"He's guarded guys bigger and stronger and guarded guys smaller and quicker. I don't think he gets his due. He's got to get some breaks and Sean's got to be off, but, at the same time, he's done it to some different guys."

Virginia trailed 44-42 after a first half in which it made 8 of 17 3-point shots. Junior forward Mamadi Diane then hit his first two shots of the second half, at which point he had scored 18 points and was 7-for-7 from the field, including 4-for-4 on 3s.

"If we did not play them earlier in the year in Charlottesville, I would have been more worried," said Hewitt, whose Yellow Jackets defeated UVa 92-82 in overtime. "They made nine threes in the first half of that game. I just told our kids, 'Keep the tempo going and hopefully their legs will leave them.' They started missing some shots.

Diane missed his last six shots from the field on a night when he, Singletary and Scott were the Cavaliers' only double-figure scorers.

Anthony Morrow and Jeremis Smith had 18 points apiece to lead five Yellow Jacket players in double figures.

Georgia Tech was 13-of-24 on 3-pointers in the game, including 6-of-9 in the second half.

"I think everybody saw what happened out there," UVa junior Laurynas Mikalauskas said.

"We didn't play any defense, but there wasn't just one thing we did wrong. We did everything wrong tonight."

Loss could be end of an era for Cavaliers
Coach Dave Leitao says Virginia may never see a player like Sean Singletary again.
By Mark Berman
981-3125

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- With 50 seconds left in Thursday's game, Sean Singletary missed a layup after making a steal. It might have been the final shot he attempted in his stellar Virginia career.

With 36.3 seconds to go, UVa coach Dave Leitao took Singletary out of the ACC Tournament game. The entire crowd at Charlotte Bobcats Arena -- not just UVa fans but fans of the other teams, too -- rose to give the senior point guard a standing ovation.

"I was fairly aware that everybody was applauding," Singletary said after Georgia Tech beat the 10th-seeded Cavaliers 94-76 in the first round. "At the same time, I hate to lose and it's my last game. Nobody wants to go out losing.

"I'm sure I'll play basketball somewhere else. It's just tough not playing in the program and the family that we've built."

Singletary had 20 points and 10 assists for UVa (15-15), but he was just 4-of-14 from the field and committed six turnovers.

"I was trying to be as aggressive as I can, but we just weren't able to stick together and just play together," he said.

"We just didn't have it tonight. Sometimes we had it during the season. Sometimes we didn't. It's tough to relay that message to the younger guys, but hopefully, they can take the message here and there and put it all together. You've got to stick together through trying times.

"In the end, you've got to be a team. You've got to be tough. You've got to be together."

Singletary might play again for UVa, perhaps in the NIT or in the new postseason tournament, the College Basketball Invitational, that the Gazelle Group will be putting on.

If not, it is time to bid him adieu.

"This university has been given a gift that may never be seen in these parts any more," Leitao said.

"You may get better players. You may get more victories. You may get some other tangible parts of college basketball from something down the line, but you'll never be blessed with the combination of great person, great player, great competitor that this school has seen."

Singletary, a three-time All-ACC first-team pick, has scored more than 2,000 career points.

North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough is the ACC player of the year, but Leitao wishes Singletary could have earned the honor as well.

"If not for the miraculous things that Tyler Hansbrough's been doing, there'd be more conversation about ... Sean Singletary -- if we had more wins," Leitao said. "Tyler's extremely, extremely deserving because he's a great, great player, but at the same point in time, this league has two players for the ages."

Singletary's teammates will remember him for more than just his statistics.

"He's a cold-minded leader," Mike Scott said. "[He's] always getting on us -- be here on time, be there on time."

"That drive to win, it's amazing," Mamadi Diane said.

Singletary might not have gone out a winner Thursday, but he will be remembered.

"I go out there every night and give it my all, no matter if I'm hurt or tired. I always try to sacrifice for my teammates," Singletary said.

Singletary's era worth its praise
By David Teel
March 14, 2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C.

After 120 games, 3,935 minutes and immeasurable effort, Sean Singletary had nothing left to give.

So approximately 20,000 ACC basketball tournament spectators gave to him, rising as one Thursday night to honor one of the greatest careers the University of Virginia and this storied conference have witnessed.

Thirty-six seconds remained in the Cavaliers' opening-round game against Georgia Tech when coach Dave Leitao substituted for Singletary, who walked to the bench, probably for the final time. The game was lost. An era was complete.

As partisans from every league school applauded, Leitao patted Singletary on the head. Singletary stood, hunched over, hands on knees, exhausted.

"I hate to lose," he said following the 94-76 defeat.

"It's my last game, and no one wants to go out (like that)."

The NIT or fledgling CBI tournament could extend Singletary's career, though for what purpose is a mystery. The Cavaliers (15-15) are defenseless — Georgia Tech blistered them for 56.9-percent shooting — and Singletary can't even walk without pain.

His final shot Thursday told all. After a frontcourt steal, he drove toward the basket for what appeared an easy layup. But his legs failed him, and without ample lift, he clanged the shot off the underside of the rim.

Singletary missed 10 of his 14 attempts. He committed six turnovers. Yet as always, he was his team's most valuable player.

To wit: He scored a game-high 20 points, matched his college best with 10 assists and contributed a game-high three steals.

Georgia Tech junior D'Andre Bell, the primary defender on Singletary, raved about his rival.

"He's the quickest and fastest guard I've had to cover," Bell said. "His change of direction and his ball handling skills are better than anybody else. He's as good as I've seen."

Understand that Bell is steeped in big-league basketball. He grew up in Southern California, where speed rules, from the high schools to the beachfront asphalt.

Bell gave Singletary fits in each of the teams' three meetings this season. But rest assured, a hale Singletary wouldn't have shot 14-for-46 in those contests. Moreover, he wouldn't have missed all those shots had not so much of Virginia's fortunes rested on him.

"It's very, very, very difficult to constantly have two people guarding you 94 feet, to set up the offense, make a play for yourself, make a play for a teammate," Leitao said of Singletary's burdens. "That would get anybody winded."

Final game or not, Singletary will depart Virginia as the program's No. 5 career scorer — he's at 2,022 points — and for an idea of his stature, consider the players he passed Thursday on the ACC all-time list: North Carolina's Charlie Scott, Duke's Jim Spanarkel, Maryland's John Lucas and North Carolina's Al Wood.

Now that's some classy company, and among the Cavaliers I've watched during the last 25 years, Singletary stands alone. Numbers, will, panache: He has it all.

And he had it from the first time I saw him. It was Nov. 21, 2004. University Hall against No. 10 Arizona. Singletary's second college game.

He was the best player on the floor. He scored 15 points and added eight assists, six rebounds and six steals in a 78-60 thumping of the Wildcats. He was 19 years old, with braces on his teeth and jets in his sneakers.

One sequence stood out.

Singletary caught a pass 40 feet from the basket with eight seconds left on the shot clock, deftly used a high screen from Elton Brown and drove for a bucket. He then collared a rebound, made two free throws and drew a charge.

All this in 19 seconds.

"He's selfless," assistant coach Walt Fuller said that day. "He just wants to win."

Sitting quietly with a couple of us reporters, Singletary professed no nerves.

"I'm from Philadelphia," he explained.

"You can't be nervous. ... I just plan to bring a lot of energy, attack on offense, get my hands on a lot of balls on defense."

Later in our conversation, Singletary revealed that his parents were confronting health issues — they have since improved — and that his brother was stationed in Iraq.

"It's a hard thing emotionally," he said of his family's challenges. "I just want to make them proud."

He did just that.

"My time," he said Thursday night, "has come to an end."

A time unlike any other's.

Jackets light up Cavaliers
By Andy Bitter
Published: March 13, 2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Possession after possession, Georgia Tech bombed away from the 3-point line, unchallenged in most cases and unbothered whenever the Cavaliers managed to get within an arm’s length.
Virginia’s yearlong defensive deficiencies were on grand display Thursday night, and a 94-76 loss to seventh-seeded Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament’s first round seemed like an appropriate conclusion to a season in which the Cavaliers looked anything but the tough-minded, aggressive defenders coach Dave Leitao had hoped to develop.
“It’s happened a number of times this year for a number of reasons,” Leitao said of his team’s defensive shortcomings. “It’s upsetting and disappointing at the same time.”
The final stats were among the ugliest the 10th-seeded Cavaliers (15-15) have allowed this year.
Georgia Tech (15-16) shot 57 percent from the field, the 10th time an ACC opponent topped 48 percent against UVa this season.
The Yellow Jackets went
13-for-24 from 3-point range (54 percent). Of the Cavaliers’ opponents this year, only Xavier and Clemson — teams that beat UVa by 38 and 31, respectively — shot better.
And Georgia Tech, which plays second-seeded Duke in the quarterfinals tonight at 7, had balance, with five scorers in double figures, led by Anthony Morrow and Jeremis Smith, who both finished with 18.
“It’s just a mentality we’ve got to work on,” guard Calvin Baker said of UVa’s lacking defense. “I think we became more offensive-minded than defensive-minded. You can’t win games like that. We showed it today.”
The game might have been the last in the brilliant career of Virginia point guard Sean Singletary, who scored 20 points to go with 10 assists and three steals.
He had to work for that line, though. Georgia Tech hounded him all night. The deeper Yellow Jackets planned to run the Cavaliers into the ground, and the key was to make Singletary work for every inch on the court. They double-teamed the UVa guard on every inbounds pass and chased him the length of the court on most possessions.
It worked to a degree. Singletary reached double digits in assists, but he had six turnovers. Plus, Leitao was forced to be more judicious with finding time for his guard to recuperate on the bench.
“It’s very, very difficult to constantly have two people guard you 94 feet, set up the offense, make a play for yourself, make a play for your teammate,” Leitao said. “We didn’t get anybody else making plays for us. It really fell a lot on his shoulders today.”
For a while, Singletary and UVa were up to the challenge. The Cavaliers trailed 44-42 at halftime but quickly took the lead after the break thanks to the hot hand of Mamadi Diane. The guard came off the bench and hit his first seven shots (four of them 3s). He had 14 first-half points and made his first two shots of the second half to tie the game at 46.
Virginia seized a five-point lead, going ahead 56-51 with 14:26 left on a rare 3-pointer by forward Mike Scott, who had two in the game, matching his career total prior to Thursday.
But Leitao never felt comfortable.
“It was going to come down to who was going to string together a few defensive sequences that were going to allow you to dictate the rest of the game,” he said. “And we never did that. So once we were up five or down five or whatever the case may be, it was never a feeling that we were taking control of the game that way.”
Georgia Tech’s 25-8 run over the next seven minutes proved him right.
As the Yellow Jackets took off, Virginia’s offense stalled. Diane cooled, missing his next six shots to finish with 18 points. Singletary ran into defenders at every turn and couldn’t find room to get his shot off. He finished 4-for-14 from the field.
“It’s the end of a career,” said Singletary, who received a nice ovation from the crowd when he left the game in the final minute. “I’m sure I’ll play basketball again somewhere else, but not playing in the program and family we’ve built for three years. My time has come to an end.”
Maybe not, though. While an NIT bid is unlikely for a team that went 5-12 in ACC games, there remains the inaugural College Basketball Invitational, an additional 16-team tournament which begins March 18-19. Bids come out Sunday night.
Leitao, for one, wasn’t thinking about that Thursday, though.
“The only reason I’m thinking like that is because it’s not in my hands,” he said. “It’s not in my control.”

Yellow Jackets sting Cavs in second half
Virginia fails to make halftime adjustments, hopes to prolong its season with postseason bid to the NIT or new CBI Tournament
Paul Montana, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When senior Sean Singletary scores 20 points and his support staff knocks down 39.1 percent of its 3-point field goals, Virginia is a tough team to keep up with.

Georgia Tech's 13-24 shooting from the 3-point line and the 18 points apiece from seniors Anthony Morrow and Jeremis Smith, however, was enough for the Yellow Jackets to trump the Cavaliers' offensive output. After its momentous victory against Maryland senior night Sunday, Virginia quietly exited the first-round of the ACC Tournament Thursday night, 94-76.

In a game that matched up two teams who love to run, the fast pace raged on for 40 minutes; the score, however, was close for only 35. Through the first half and most of the second, the two teams were tit-for-tat, with the lead changing hands 16 times. The Yellow Jackets, however, took advantage of two runs in the second half to put Virginia away, pushing the lead from 2 to 8 with 5:12 remaining, before going on a 14-6 surge to put the game out of reach.

Though both teams ran the break, it was Georgia Tech that was the most successful in transition, netting 30 points on the break to Virginia's 16. Virginia coach Dave Leitao said Georgia Tech's dictation of the tempo that decided the game.

"Georgia Tech did a really good job being the aggressor tonight, starting with the first few minutes of the game," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said. "On offense especially, they were in attack mode."

After going into the first half down 44-42, Virginia finally made a few stops in the second and hit five of six field goals in the first 5:34 of the second on its way to a 56-51 lead, its biggest of the game. From there, however, the Cavaliers' offensive firepower dampened. Virginia made just five of its next 23 shots for the remainder of the game, and Georgia Tech regained the lead at 12:39 in the second and never lost it.

"We were up because we had some flow and were making shots," Leitao said. "But, it was going to come down to who was going to string together a few defensive sequences that were going to allow you to dictate the rest of the game, and we never did that."

Both teams played lackluster defense in the first half, as open looks were plentiful for each side. The Georgia Tech attack shot 56.7 percent while scoring 14 points in the paint and 13 in transition in the first half.

A poor defensive effort "has happened a number of different times this year, and for a number of reasons," Leitao said. "It's upsetting and its disappointing at the same time."

Though Virginia shot just 41.9 percent from the floor, they made up for it behind the arc, hitting eight of 17 3-point field goals, while Singletary recorded eight assists in the first half. Junior Mamadi Diane was unconscious for the first 22 minutes, making seven of his first eight shots on his way to 18 points off the bench, four of them from 3-point territory, before missing his next five in the remainder of the half. Senior Adrian Joseph, conversely, hardly contributed, scoring just one 3-point field goal in seven minutes of action.

"I thought [Diane] came in and provided something for us," Leitao said. "I just rode [him] for more time than normal."

Singletary finished with 20 points and 10 assists, though he shot just 4-14 from the floor with six turnovers.

"Individually, I think I did all right," Singletary said. "I was able to get 10 assists, so I was trying to be as aggressive as I can."

Whether this is the last game for Virginia is still uncertain. With the new 16-team College Basketball Invitational tournament added to this year's postseason, Singletary and company certainly still have a shot of suiting up at least once more.

"It's ... hard to speak futuristically in terms of this year when you don't know," Leitao said. "It's a little harder this year, then other years, because I don't think there's a lot of information out there about the new basketball tournament."

Impressive Jackets torch Virginia
Tech puts together one of its best games to advance to play Duke
By MATT WINKELJOHN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/13/08

Charlotte — Georgia Tech bombed Virginia Thursday night with such authority that if this were your first time watching the Yellow Jackets you'd never know.

You'd never know after seeing Tech hit a season-high 13 3-pointers and play with such passion and precision in a 94-76 win that this team lost five straight games last month.

You'd never think these guys have a worry in their basketball worlds.

And maybe they don't.

Though the Jackets are 15-16, they will play No. 2 seed Duke at 7 tonight in the second round of the ACC tournament.

After Anthony Morrow made six 3-pointers in front of hometown friends and family members, teammate D'Andre Bell ragged him later in the lockerroom for a goofy photo of him in the tournament program.

But it's important because they appear relaxed after winning for the fourth time in five games and avenging the only loss in that span — a two-point fall to Virginia on a 3-point shot with four seconds left.

"This is something I've been waiting for," Morrow said after tying fellow senior Jeremis Smith with a team-high 18 points, adding a team-high seven rebounds, several chest thumps and a few screams. "It was all about not even thinking. We came here with a clean slate, and we don't have anything to lose."

The Jackets made a school-ACC tournament game record 57.9 percent of their shots (33 of 57).

Still, Virginia (15-15) made eight of 17 3-pointers in the first half, and Tech led just 44-42 at halftime. The Cavs forged ahead, 56-51, on Mike Scott's 3-pointer with 14:26 left in the game.

"The first four minutes of the second half the tempo was pretty bad for us," coach Paul Hewitt said after his team snapped a four-game postseason losing streak dating back to the Jackets' win over George Washington in the first round of the 2005 NCAA tournament. "The game had slowed down to a crawl and that's not the way we want it."

So the Jackets pushed, going on a 25-8 run fueled by defense (the Cavs made one of six 3-point shots in the second half and 23 of 60 shots overall), crisp ball movement (22 assists) and pace, pace, pace.

Tech scored 30 fast-break points, and in that stretch the telltale shots were a 3-pointer by Moe Miller, a pair by Lewis Clinch (the first for a 59-57 lead with 12:17 to go), and a Morrow bomb at 9:11 for a 70-62 bulge.

Bell deserves credit for helping force All-ACC point guard Sean Singletary into six turnovers and four of 14 shooting.

Smith, who added five rebounds, a team-high six assists, a blocked shot and two steals, said, "tempo is all about teamwork, starting from the defensive end by making stops and getting rebounds. Then, that leads to offense. Big men have to run the floor hard, and that contributes."

Zack Peacock and Miller scored 14 each, Alade Aminu 11 with five rebounds and three blocked shots.

But mostly the Jackets stroked, and then smiled.

If Morrow and teammates keep shooting like that, he can get away with wearing a pink shirt and staring into space, as he is in an ACC tournament program. "You look like a chocolate Easter Bunny," Bell said while still in his uniform.

Morrow countered: "You know you love the style man. You love it!"

Hewitt knew it
Paul Montana, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

There were many outstanding performances in yesterday's game: Anthony Morrow's ridiculous 6-for-9 3-point shooting on one side and Singletary's double-double on the other. Jeremis Smith's pounding inside for 18 points and Diane's confident shooting for 18 of his own.

My factor of the game, however, was not a player. As disappointing as it was to watch Singletary go out in round one in possibly his last game, a tip of the cap must go to Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt.

From the outset, the Yellow Jackets' defensive intentions were clear: They were not going to let Singletary score.

Sure, most teams try to keep it out of Singletary's hands as much as possible -- but not like this. Georgia Tech played help defense so fast and so far into the lane when Singletary drove that, after he dished, the open shooter had time to dust off the ball and still be wide open.

"Our whole game plan was to just to try to keep the ball out of his hands and make him work to get every catch," Hewitt said. "You've just got to try to keep the ball out of his hands and eliminate him from the game."

And, at the outset, I thought Hewitt's plan was going to backfire. Singletary is the ultimate playmaker and when left open, the rest of the Cavs know how to knock down shots. In the first half, they did, making eight of 17.

After all, this was exactly why the Cavaliers were picked to finish fifth in the conference before the season started; Virginia's numerous 3-point shooters in supporting roles are excellent complements to Singletary's versatility. Sure enough, at the half, Singletary already had eight assists. Less then two minutes into the second period, he tallied number 10.

Furthermore, when Virginia starts knocking down those open triples, confidence builds and dominos begin to fall. Whereas some teams feed off energy or suffocating defense, Virginia receives positive input -- in addition to the energy from Lars the lively Lithuanian -- from perimeter shooting.

Case in point: Mamadi Diane. Obviously one of Virginia's most prominent members of the supporting cast, Diane has been a tale of inconsistency all year long; however, his inconsistency has, ironically, consistently been derived from whether he makes shots early. If he makes shots early, he can go nuts; if he doesn't, he often disappears.

Diane's play and the team's shooting as a whole, however, is tangential, because Georgia Tech won the game, and did so convincingly. Why? Because there was no way Virginia could keep that up for 40 minutes, and Hewitt knew it.

Looking back on it now, I feel stupid for not seeing the suspicious parallel to Virginia's overtime loss to Georgia Tech in Charlottesville. In that game, Virginia also got off to a hot shooting start, hitting nine of 18 threes in the first half and led Georgia Tech at halftime 48-38.

But, remember what happened in the second, and ultimately in overtime? The Cavs ran out of gas. They shot 2-14 from behind the arc in the second, and got scorched in overtime en route to a 92-82 Georgia Tech victory.

So, when Virginia got off to a similarly hot start last night, Hewitt wasn't worried.

"If we did not play them earlier in the year in Charlottesville, I would have been worried," Hewitt said. "But it was very similar; they made nine threes in the first half. We just told our kids, 'Just keep the tempo going, and hopefully their legs would leave them.'"

Like clockwork, Virginia struggled to 1-for-6 3-point shooting in the second half last night. And, in yesterday's victory, Hewitt got a bonus the first time around -- his squad shot lights-out in the opening period, too, and went to halftime up 2 points. The result? Instead of having to come back as in the first game, the Yellow Jackets' charge was merely to win the second half against a tiring Virginia team.

Perhaps most shockingly, the unthinkable happened to Singletary: He got tired. Leitao was forced to pull him earlier and more often then he would have liked, and Singletary played 33 minutes instead of his usual 35 to 37. While that might not seem like much, we all know how tenuous Virginia is with every moment Singletary is on the bench.

"It's very, very difficult to have two people guard you 94 feet, set up the offense, make a play for yourself, make a play for your teammate," Leitao said. "Then, to come down and have to guard two very aggressive point guards in Causey and Miller ... that gets anybody winded."

I hope Singletary gets to play another game, even if is in the College Basketball Invitational, or "Can't Believe it Tournament," as the Charlottesville's Daily Progress so lovingly put it. This loss sure doesn't help the chances of that scenario, however, and the fans were certainly aware of that. With 36 seconds remaining, Singletary subbed out. As Singletary put his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath, the packed house at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena gave the senior a standing ovation.

"I was fairly aware everybody was applauding," Singletary said. "Nobody wants to go out losing, and that's tough, but I really appreciate all the support that folks are giving me."

I suppose that this ending wasn't so bad -- Virginia's run is going to have to end in a loss barring a CBI or NIT championship. At least he did it in front of an appreciative crowd.

He has Paul Hewitt to thank for it.

Glading leads hungry team to away matchup against Towson
Cavaliers welcome opportunity to play in front of hostile crowd after recent road wins against Syracuse and Princeton
Megan McDonald, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

The home field advantage: It receives a lot of press, but really how important is it?

Truth be told, it depends on the host's opposition and, as the Towson men's lacrosse team (1-2) will discover Saturday, the Cavaliers (7-0) welcome the opportunity to play on hostile turf.

"I have always been a fan of going on the road," Virginia coach Dom Starsia said. "For the guys it's part of the experience of being a college athlete and I think we view it in a positive light."

In fact, the team thrives on it. During Spring Break the Cavaliers vanquished both Syracuse and Princeton on the road and this past Tuesday they beat Mount St. Mary's 20-2 in Emitsburg, Md.

"It's an unusual situation for us to have three games on the road in one week, the way we do this week, but I personally don't see it as a burden," Starsia said.

Starsia is far from alone in his sentiments regarding away games, and his attitude has either rubbed off on his players, or he has recruited guys who are as appreciative of the quiet time road games provide as he is.

"I have always been a fan because you have a lot less distractions staying in the hotel the night before," junior attackman Danny Glading said. "You have the team all together the night and morning before the game and it's kind of easier to get more focused on the task at hand when you are traveling."

The Cavalier bus will travel north to Maryland for the second time this week as Virginia heads to Towson armed with a 7-0 undefeated record and the No. 2 spot in the national polls.

More importantly, however, there is an overwhelming consensus within the team that the Cavaliers have improved considerably since the beginning of the season. Certainly rankings and accolades help to reinforce this sense, but the true testament to the Cavaliers' progress is their recent caliber of play as well as an increase in the effort put forth in daily practices.

"From being around the players, I have a strong sense that they do not want to give anything back now," Starsia said. "The progress that we have made, the momentum that we have -- we have worked hard for it and we don't have any desire to take a step back. We want to keep getting better, keep moving forward."

Saturday's game will test the Cavaliers in more ways than one. Starsia admits that the schedule he put together for early in the season was grueling and said he has asked his team to play quite a bit of lacrosse in the past few weeks. Though it has required the team to focus on preparing emotionally to play twice a week, the Cavaliers have handled the challenge thus far and give no indication that they will approach the Towson game any differently.

The matchup also pits an admittedly young Cavalier team against one loaded with veterans, especially at the offensive end of the field. The defensive challenges will not be easy, either. Indeed, Virginia may be younger than Towson, but it has an experienced group of leaders at its helm. With senior attackman and co-captain Ben Rubeor off the injured list, there is a new sense of wholeness as the Cavaliers take the field.

"It is kind of hard to explain how big of a plus it is to have Ben back," Glading said. "He is definitely the leader out there and his energy on the field is contagious. He is someone where not having him is a big loss and we are a much better and a much different team when he's out there."

Strong goaltending leads Cavaliers into match with UNC
Senior McBrearty had crucial saves down the stretch against William & Mary; Virginia looks to continue winning trend against strong Tar Heel team
Ryan Williams, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

The Virginia women's lacrosse team is coming off an in-state victory against William & Mary while looking to carry its momentum into ACC play. The Cavaliers defeated the Tribe Wednesday night in Williamsburg in a close battle, 14-11. They now look towards a matchup with perennial ACC power North Carolina Sunday at Klöckner Stadium.

During Wednesday's contest, Virginia relied on its offense to overpower the opponent. Sophomore midfielder Kaitlin Duff led the attack with three goals and one assist, and junior attacker Jenny Hauser added two goals and two assists. Eight Virginia players tallied goals, and the team outshot William & Mary 39-23.

The Cavaliers also played tough defense. Senior goalkeeper Kendall McBrearty had five saves, including two crucial ones to stave off the Tribe's comeback attempt after being down 10-5 at halftime. The Virginia squad led the Tribe in ground balls 18-12 and draw controls 16-11, contributing to this effort. Virginia also created 10 turnovers, led by four from Hauser and three from freshman defender Liz Downs.

After this showing, the Cavaliers now look forward to an ACC showdown. Virginia will put its 5-1 record to the test against the Tar Heels' 6-1 record. Virginia has a 1-1 ACC record, with a win against Virginia Tech and a loss at Maryland, while North Carolina is opening its conference schedule Sunday. Virginia comes into the game tied with Maryland for the nation's No. 2 ranking, while UNC boasts a No. 7 ranking, both according to Inside Lacrosse.

Virginia dropped last season's regulation matchup with North Carolina in Chapel Hill by a score of 16-7. They did, however, gain revenge with a 12-6 upset victory over the Tar Heels in the ACC Championship game at the same venue and a 14-8 win in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal game in Charlottesville. Needless to say, these two squads have a long history and a tough rivalry.

"I think we're always excited to play a great opponent," Virginia coach Julie Myers said of the contest. "Getting the team up shouldn't be a problem at all. Everyone loves playing an ACC opponent and a game we know we have to be sharp for."

Leading North Carolina into the contest will be freshman attacker Corey Donohoe who has tallied 21 goals and four assists so far this season. Donohoe is only part of the threatening attack -- the Cavaliers face a Tar Heel offense with 30 more goals under its belt than Virginia's 61 this season.

"Carolina is fast, athletic and takes it at you hard. They will shoot, shoot again and then try to shoot some more," Myers said.

To slow down the Tar Heels' high-flying attack, the defense will need to "continue the good communication," senior defender Alice Hughey? said.

Myers pointed out another key to the game.

"We're going to have to be sharp and make sure we have more possession time than they do," she said.

On the offensive side of the field, Virginia will also try to continue its success

"Our offense has so many weapons they can't just focus on one person," sophomore midfielder Brittany Kalkstein said.

The Cavaliers will rely on these weapons in facing yet another highly ranked opponent. Kalkstein leads the squad with 13 goals, while junior midfielder Ashley McCulloch leads the squad with 24 points, scoring 9 times and dishing out 15 assists. Eight other Cavaliers have found the back of the net this season.

The game against the Tar Heels is Sunday at 1 p.m. in Charlottesville.

Blue Devils look to end Virginia's strong play
Freshman Robert Morey shows promise early on, looks to keep up overall strong performance; junior Jacob Thompson to start first game of Duke series Friday
Eric Kolenich, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

Most freshman pitchers don't reach the low 90s on their fastballs. Most pitchers are not integral parts of their bullpen on day one. Most pitchers aren't Robert Morey.

In nine innings this season, Morey has struck out 11 batters while allowing only three hits and no earned runs. But last Sunday against N.C. State, Morey hit the first rough patch of his young career. The right-hander went 0.1 innings, facing four hitters and allowed one hit and two walks. No. 16 Virginia (13-2, 1-2 ACC) went on to lose to N.C. State 2-4.

Wednesday, Morey had his first chance to prove his last outing against Navy was a fluke. He got right back into his groove, throwing a perfect three innings while striking out four.

"I really focused on the mental side of the game and that's what's helped me," Morey said. "Not thinking about the situation, but thinking about the process -- what you want to do with the hitter and where do you want the ball to go. It's not all physical. You can have all the talent in the world, but without the mental side, it's not worth as much."

Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said Morey knew his performance against N.C. State was not his best.

"He knows he didn't pitch up to his capability," O'Connor said. "But he's a very talented kid, and it was great to see him throw three good innings."

Morey, who hails from Virginia Beach, has strong command over his pitches and has accepted a role as setup man in the Virginia bullpen, despite having no collegiate experience before 2008.

In addition to a fastball that tops out around 91 mph, Morey features a slider, changeup and a 12-6 curveball that Morey says resembles Toronto Blue Jay star Roy Halladay's.

His performance "keeps our bullpen fresh with [senior Michael] Schwimer and [senior Jake] Rule available for the weekend," O'Connor said.

Having pitched three innings Wednesday, Morey probably will not be ready to take the mound again until Saturday, game two of Virginia's three-game series against Duke (14-2, 1-2 ACC). But Morey might not even be needed Friday, as junior Jacob Thompson will get the start.

"Jacob, historically, has pitched deep into every ballgame in his starts, but the most important thing is getting Robert Morey right," O'Connor said. "He pitched two very good innings, so I wanted to send him back out there for the third so he can have his confidence going in to the rest of the season."

Morey and Rule figure to do most of the setup for the closer, Schwimer, this season. But with the high number of games the team plays every season, O'Connor has reinforced the notion of having multiple options to close a game, as to not burn out any one pitcher. As a result, Morey could quite possibly see his saves begin to pile up soon, despite his role as a seventh and eighth inning pitcher.

Duke figures to start one of the conference's best pitchers Friday: junior Andrew Walcott, who is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA. Thompson, who will pitch against him, is arguably the nation's top pitcher. He currently owns a 2-0 record with a 0.98 ERA.

Apparently, the key to Friday's game will be getting runs on the board. Another freshman, outfielder Dan Grovatt, is now hitting cleanup and has been one of the most reliable hitters in the lineup as of late.

"I told him that he doesn't have to do anything different batting in the cleanup spot than he's had to do in other positions," O'Connor said. "It's more for us as a situational spot. I want to break up Adams and Farrell because I think when you have them back-to-back, it's very easy to pitch to, because you can pitch them the same. So I like to have a left-handed hitter in there to break those two guys up."

In a freshman-dominated outfield, Grovatt began in left field, the only position that didn't have a defined starter. But Grovatt has solidified his role in the lineup and proven he can play anywhere in the outfield.

Virginia begins its series today in Durham at 3 p.m. O'Connor, who noted the difficulty of playing on the road, hopes his team can take at least two out of three, which would pull them up to .500 in the conference with a 3-3 record.

O'Connor added, "I just want us to play the best game with the right effort, because I know if we do that, we'll have a chance at the end of the ballgame."

Red-hot Cavs well-rested for Terps
Virginia has dismissed two top-10 teams with little difficulty in last two games
Sean Bielawski, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

The Virginia men's tennis team returns to action Saturday afternoon as the top-ranked Cavaliers pay a visit to College Park to take on the No. 57 Terrapins.

Virginia (15-0) comes into the match after its first weekend off in two months.? Coach Brian Boland and his squad took advantage of the time the break afforded them.

"We wanted to give them a little time off to re-energize and have some time to refresh mentally and physically," Boland said. "They've done that, and we are extremely healthy. This past week, we've really had a chance to work on some things that we don't have a chance to when we are playing back-to-back matches. I think the guys are a little bit sharper, and I think it's really going to pay off."

It might be hard for Virginia to get much sharper after its most recent weekend outing. The Cavaliers defeated then-No. 5 Texas 5-2 before downing then-No. 9 Baylor 7-0, and the victories were only underscored by a dominating singles performance from the Cavaliers. Virginia went 11-1 in the singles matches with only one of its victories coming in three sets.

Oddly enough, it was senior captain Somdev Devvarman who took three sets to dispose of Baylor sophomore Denes Lukacs. Devvarman had to bounce back after being down a break early in the final set. It was only the fifth time all season that it took the reigning national champion three sets to dispose of an opponent.

Virginia was without junior Dominic Inglot ?during singles play against Baylor, forcing the Cavaliers to shake up their lineup a second time after his absence against Old Dominion and Boston College last weekend, The changes put the Cavaliers' depth to the test, and Virginia once again stepped up and delivered.

"We are the deepest team in the country by far," Devvarman said. "The depth definitely helps us because we are confident that if one guy is having a tough week in practice that he can get back on the training court and another guy can step up. We are confident when any one of the eight guys steps on the court at any of the positions, so that definitely gives us an edge."

Virginia will get a test Saturday afternoon, as the Terrapins have won five matches in a row, including their upset of No. 43 Louisville.

"Maryland is an excellent team," Boland said. "We're definitely going to be challenged in each and every one of our ACC matches. We have great respect for the ACC and we're excited to play."

The match this weekend will be played outdoors barring any rain, the first time Virginia has played a match outside all semester.

"The weather has been great and we have had a chance to practice outside for some time," Boland said. "I think the guys will be ready to go. I always think that caters to us."

The Cavaliers will need all the cards in their favor; the Terrapins are undefeated on the season at home, but Virginia knows it will be a marked team the rest of the season, no matter where a particular match is held.

"Home or away, we know that we are going to come out 100 percent prepared," Devvarman said. "Everybody is going to be gunning for us regardless of whether we are playing home or away. So we approach every match the same way."

UVa point guards, Part 2
The experts weigh in
By Doug Doughty

When I turned on the computer Monday morning, one of the first e-mails I opened was from a former Virginia men’s basketball player who had voted in last week’s UVa Insider poll.

He wanted to change his vote from John Crotty to Sean Singletary.

Who wouldn’t after watching Singletary’s final home game, when he had 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds in a 91-76 victory over Maryland?

Singletary was a runaway winner even without the vote-switching. More than 500 people voted in the UVa’s best all-time point guard survey and Singletary collected more than 60 percent of the votes, followed by Crotty with 16 percent and Barry Parkhill with 11 percent.

In my mind, Singletary’s selection this week as first-team All-ACC clinched it. There have been three-time, first-team All-ACC selections in Virginia history – Ralph Sampson, Bryant Stith and Singletary – and Singletary is the only point guard in that bunch.

Only two other Virginia point guards had made first-team All-ACC even once, Parkhill in 1972 and Othell Wilson in 1982. Parkhill was named ACC player of the year, one of only two Cavaliers to be so honored, along with Sampson in 1981, ’82 an d ’83.

I think that Crotty and Parkhill were worthy Nos. 2 and 3 vote-getters, particularly since Crotty is the school’s all-time assist leader and scored 1,646 points, but Wilson probably merited more than 6 percent of the vote.

“Othell Wilson is one of the best basketball players I ever played with,” said Rick Carlisle, who was one of Wilson’s teammates on Virginia’s 1984 Final Four team and later spent five seasons in the NBA as a player.

Carlisle was on the Boston Celtics’ 1986 NBA Championship team, where his teammates included Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish.

“Othell was one of the best players I ever played with, period, and I played with a lot of great ones in Boston and [New York and New Jersey]. At his position, he was tremendous.

“It’s a shame that his NBA career didn’t last longer because he was a great player. His talent was way above the norm.”

Terry Holland was the Cavaliers’ head coach from 1974-1990 and coached one-time UVa assist leader Jeff Jones, Wilson and Crotty. Later, as the Cavaliers’ athletic director, he was in Charlottesville during Harod Deane’s term as UVa’s lead guard.

Here’s what Holland had to say about Wilson:

“He was, as far as talent is concerned, by far the best of the group,” said Holland of his ex-point guards. “He had such great speed and quickness and strength.

“Crotty had the ball in his hands a lot much more, just because of the other guards [Jones, Ricky Stokes and Rick Carlisle] that Othell played with.

“Crotty was a very hard-nosed player and very knowledgeable about the game. He could shoot and he had range. He was a threat from [3-point range] and he could get his own shot.

“Jeff was probably the smartest of them all.”

Jones scored only 850 points during his career “and people made him score a good many of those,” he said.

If there is a former point guard whom Singletary most resembles, it would be Cory Alexander, who was injured for long stretches during the prime of his career, which lasted from 1991-95.

In his heart, Alexander feels he was as talented or more talented than any of the other Virginia point guard but his acknowledges that time missed prevents him fromhaving a prominent place in the conversation.

“Had I played four years, like everyone else, I believe I would have been up there,” said Alexander, who could have returned for a fifth season in 1995-1996 but placed his name in consideration for the NBA Draft and was a late first-round pick.

For the record, Crotty played in 477 NBA games over 11 seasons, Alexander played in 307 games in seven seasons, Wilson played in 127 games over two seasons and Parkhill played in 173 games over three ABA seasons.

One thing that Singletary clearly has done better than any of the other UVa point guards is get to the free-throw line and then convert.

He entered Thursday night’s ACC Tournament opener against Georgia Tech as a career 84.7-percent free-throw shooter on 649 attempts.

The only player close to him in that regard was Harold Deane, a 78.1-percent free-throw shooter on 699 attempts. Crotty shot 69.4-percent free-throw shooter on 595 attempts; Wilson shot 73.4 percent on 406 attempts.

Alexander said he would not rate Singletary at the top of the list as a shooter overall, but Singletary has a better career 3-point percentage (36.3) than either Crotty (34.6), Alexander (33.6) or Deane (34.2).

“I think [Singletary] is quick as lightning,” Alexander said. “I think if there’s one advantage he had on everyone else, it was that he was quicker with the ball. He gets to the basket. That is his greatest strength.”

If Virginia is lucky, the debate might continue some day.