ACC Tournament 2005: Virginia

Team record:13-14, 4-12 conference
Coach: Pete Gillen

The Virginia Cavaliers enter the ACC Tournament dead last in the conference. The same team that started 6-0, including a win in November over 10th ranked Arizona bottomed out, losing their last five games of the regular season to finish with and under .500 record.

Seniors Devin Smith and Elton Brown combined this year to average over points per game. But the team was plagued by poor play at the end of games, none more emblematic than their 92-89 home loss to Maryland last month, where they shot 42% from the free throw line. Head Coach Pete Gillen has not led the Cavs to the NCAA Tournament since 2001, and after yet another deeply disappointing season, his days as head coach at Virginia may be very near the end. That said, the team will return all but three players next season, including starting point guard Sean Singletary, who will be just a sophomore next year. He averaged over 10 points per game this season.

Strengths:
Energy- The Cavaliers are not very good, but they will always hustle. Sean Singletary thrives off of it. Virginia wins by outhustling the other squad; however, they only seem to do that at home, where they were 11-4. They were just 1-8 in the ACC on the road, beating N.C. State in Raleigh on Feb. 5 for their only road win in the league.

Weaknesses:
Shooting- Virginia shot just 43% from the floor, and just 32% from three point range this season. They broke 65 points in an ACC win just one time this season, and when forced to put up jumpers, struggle dearly. Big men Smith and Brown carried the Cavs by making short baskets a lot this year. If those two are silenced, the Cavs can't win.

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