UVa. started the 2013-2014 season ranked in the preseason Top 25 and picked fourth in the preseason ACC poll. Expectations being what they were, the 7-2 start to the season, punctuated by a listless performance in a 48-38 loss at home to #8 Wisconsin Wednesday night in the ACC-Big 10 Challenge, leads to a sharp grading curve for this group.
At best, the November-December portion of the schedule is a C-minus, and I think it would be fair to give a solid D.
Argue me if you will, and you will, but you can’t argue this: Virginia has had two meaningful games so far this season, against then-#14 VCU and tonight’s game against #8 Wisconsin, and the ‘Hoos went 0-2 in those games.
A split, and maybe you give the team a B grade for the non-conference portion of the 201-3-2014 schedule. Wins in both, and it’s of course A-plus, assuming no slipups.
Even if Virginia wins out until ACC play, it will have had two tests, again, both at home, and would have failed both.
A D grade might be generous.
Much is expected of this group, and much is still expected. There is no shame in how either home loss went. The VCU game came down to the final 1.4 seconds, and Wisconsin walked out of JPJ with a W earned while shooting just 28.8 percent from the field.
Both games were eminently winnable for UVa., though, and both times, the Cavs came up short.
Forget any talk of C-minus. This is D all the way.
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