WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Preview: #4 Virginia (20-10) vs. #13 Albany (23-9)

By Barry Jacobs

Mar 15, 2007

There is not a team in the NCAA field that relies more heavily on its backcourt starters than Virginia.

Sean Singletary, an All-ACC selection, leads the team in scoring (18.9), free throw attempts (201), free throw accuracy (.881), assists (137), steals (37), 3-point attempts and accuracy (.396). The 6-foot junior is even the squad’s second-best rebounder (4.5). Fellow guard J.R. Reynolds, a second team All-ACC pick, is second on the team in scoring (17.8), free throw attempts, free throw accuracy, assists and steals. He’s third in rebounding.

Between them, the pair contribute nearly half of Virginia’s scoring and more than half of its 3-point and free throw attempts. Stop them, or make them work extra hard for their portion, and you stop the Cavaliers, as N.C. State proved in the ACC Tournament.

Considering how heavily it relies on outside shooting, it’s no surprise UVa makes only 43.5 percent of its shots. But it also holds opponents to 40.9 percent accuracy (second-best in the ACC) with a cast of 10 regulars, most notably starters Jason Cain and Mamadi Diane.

Cain is the best rebounder (6.4) on a team that controls the boards by committee, its +4.6 rebound margin fourth-best in the ACC. The Cavaliers do not gamble much on defense; they are last in the conference in steals and near the bottom in blocked shots.

Virginia stumbled early in the Puerto Rico Shootout, then rallied strongly, feasting on perhaps the easiest schedule in the league. The Cavs wound up tied for first with North Carolina even while skidding to the finish, with three losses in their last five games and four of their last eight.

Dave Leitao was voted ACC coach of the year, and did a fine job in his second year at Charlottesville. One wonders, though, how long the Jim Calhoun disciple can continue to berate his players in public and private before resentment and discontent sets in, if it has not already.

Don’t be too surprised if the Cavs come unglued against Albany, their first round opponent from the America East Conference.

The Great Danes are in their second consecutive NCAA tournament, meaning their jitters should quickly dissipate. Last year they threw a scare into UConn in the first round. Virginia has not been invited since 2001, prior to the careers of its current players.

The core of Albany’s team is four upperclass starters led by 6-1 senior Jamar Wilson, the two-time America East player of the year. Wilson leads his team in scoring (18.6), rebounding (6.3) and assists. Coached by Will Brown, a product of junior college and Division II ball, the Great Danes posted their second consecutive 20-win season. Their schedule was not particularly tough. Among teams that beat them outside the conference were Utah Valley State and Virginia Commonwealth, Duke’s first round opponent.

A lack of size may prove fatal for Albany against some teams, but that is not Virginia’s strength, either. Should UVa regroup and advance, this is probably the easiest region, and it might get as far as the Sweet 16 before meeting a team it cannot handle.