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From ESPN:
It was somewhat surprising that under first year coach Tony Bennett in 2010, Virginia was able to quickly understand his defensive concepts. The Cavaliers' OPPP (94.6) was impressive and UVa was one of the best defensive teams in the ACC. However, with six freshmen (including one redshirt) on the roster in 2011, Bennett and his coaching staff have had to start from scratch and the results (we know it's a young season) have been less than stellar.
After four games, the Cavaliers are allowing opposing teams to post an effective FG percentage of 60.3 percent. Although Bennett's pack-line defense is limiting opponents to an OPPP of 97.7, the concern for UVa fans has to be the ease at which Stanford, William and Mary and Washington were able to connect from three. In those three games, teams are hitting 49.3 percent from deep. In particular, UW had a field day from long-range, hitting 17 of 26 three-point attempts.
As we mentioned, Virginia has only played four games so far this season so it's slightly unfair to judge solely based on those games. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see whether the freshmen start to pick up the intricacies of the pack-line defense and start to funnel more and more of their opponents toward the middle, forcing contested jumpshots.
- Matt Giles
It was somewhat surprising that under first year coach Tony Bennett in 2010, Virginia was able to quickly understand his defensive concepts. The Cavaliers' OPPP (94.6) was impressive and UVa was one of the best defensive teams in the ACC. However, with six freshmen (including one redshirt) on the roster in 2011, Bennett and his coaching staff have had to start from scratch and the results (we know it's a young season) have been less than stellar.
After four games, the Cavaliers are allowing opposing teams to post an effective FG percentage of 60.3 percent. Although Bennett's pack-line defense is limiting opponents to an OPPP of 97.7, the concern for UVa fans has to be the ease at which Stanford, William and Mary and Washington were able to connect from three. In those three games, teams are hitting 49.3 percent from deep. In particular, UW had a field day from long-range, hitting 17 of 26 three-point attempts.
As we mentioned, Virginia has only played four games so far this season so it's slightly unfair to judge solely based on those games. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see whether the freshmen start to pick up the intricacies of the pack-line defense and start to funnel more and more of their opponents toward the middle, forcing contested jumpshots.
- Matt Giles
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