The CW announcers were ga-ga over Ryan Dunn, because, who wouldn’t be, but Dunn was more than his thirst trap six dunks in Virginia’s 69-52 win at Louisville on Saturday.
There’s the Dunn on the defensive end, for instance.
Dunn, who blocked six shots in UVA’s 59-53 OT win over NC State on Wednesday, only blocked two shots in the Yum! Center, but the other number that matters with his D is this one: zero.
As in, Dunn didn’t allow whoever he was guarding in his 29 minutes to score a point, on 0-of-5 shooting.
Going back, then, to the State game, Dunn put up a goose egg for the week on defense, on 0-of-8 shooting combined in the two games.
This, then, was Dunn’s week:
- 16.0 ppg, 11.5 rebounds/g, 4.0 blocks/g, 14-of-20 (70.0%) FG, zero points allowed on D on 0-of-8 shooting
That’s your ACC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week right there.
More observations …
What was up with all those fouls?
I noted in my postgame that Virginia had come into the game on Saturday averaging 13.1 personal fouls per game, which was sixth-fewest in the nation.
And then, on Saturday, we saw UVA whistled for 22 fouls – 13 by the guys trying to play center, Blake Buchanan (5), Jordan Minor (4) and Jake Groves (4).
The guy that they were taking turns guarding (and fouling), Louisville center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard.
Double-H had a modest eight points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor and 2-of-5 shooting at the line.
The excess of fouls did get Louisville into the bonus in each half, and the Cardinals took advantage, connecting on 19-of-24 at the charity stripe.
Three-headed center monster
Yes, they had 13 personal fouls, which, thanks, Jamie Luckie, you da man, as the kids used to say.
Add up their numbers, and the Minor-Buchanan-Groves three-headed monster had a decent day, aside from the fouls.
Totals:
- 17 points (7-of-10 FG, 3-of-4 3FG), six rebounds, three steals, one block in 36 minutes
I’ll take that from my five, and win a bunch of games in the process.
Andrew Rohde got a lot of run again
Andrew Rohde, the weak link in the starting lineup, had his minutes diminished in Wednesday’s win over State, getting only 12, putting up another goose egg (his fourth scoreless outing of the season).
Rohde got the start again on Saturday, and put up his usual modest numbers – seven points on 2-of-6 shooting, 2-of-4 from three, with four assists (but also four turnovers) and three steals.
On D, he allowed seven points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field, and obviously fouls that got his man to the line.
Rohde’s plus-minus was +13, which ranked a distant fourth among the four guys who got at least 28 minutes.
Thinking about March
There’s one more game in January, so it’s still early, but starting to get late.
Where does Virginia, now at 15-5 overall, 6-3 in the ACC, tied for third in the conference, stand in terms of March Madness?
Virginia is 34th in ELO, 44th in KPI, 45th in RPI, 50th in Strength of Record, 55th in NET, 60th in KenPom.
Which is to say, work to do, but not as bad as you were probably thinking.
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Chris Graham
