Home Learning moment? What, then, was Feb. 5?
UVA Basketball

Learning moment? What, then, was Feb. 5?

Chris Graham

“I’ve never been part of anything like this. It feels horrible. I’ve never lost a game like this before in my life.”

“It’s a shock to me. I’m still amazed that we’re sitting here with an L.”

Joe Harris and Jontel Evans – you’re not alone.

Sammy Zeglinski hit a late-shot-clock three with 2:57 to go to give Virginia a 48-39 lead.

“That was the dagger. But it wasn’t,” said a subdued Tony Bennett after his team inexplicably blew a 10-point lead in the final 37 seconds before losing in overtime to Miami 69-62 in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Thursday.

What gave it away: not surprisingly, poor guard play. UVa. (16-15) struggled against the full-court press all season, and it was the stunning inability of the Cavs to get the ball out of the backcourt that turned out to be the dagger.

Evans whipped a pass through Sammy Zeglinski after getting the inbounds from Sammy Z. Then Evans missed Mustapha Farrakhan underneath the Miami basket.

“We were deflated,” understated Bennett of his team’s mood heading into the OT, which was a foregone conclusion given what had happened at the end of regulation.

“You could tell those guys were kind of in shock, because they had the game,” Miami’s Malcolm Grant said.

It wouldn’t have been so bad – OK, it would’ve been, but still – had Virginia not lost in almost precisely the same way to Miami on Feb. 5. Leading by seven in the final minute and five in the final 25 seconds, Miami rallied to send the game into overtime before winning 70-68.

“It stings,” Bennett said afterward, trying to make sense of it all, “but I’d like to say that hopefully we can learn and grow from it.”

Um, well, the lesson didn’t sink in following Feb. 5.

Multimedia

 




Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].

Latest News

Monongahela National Forest
Trump's America

Reese Bull | Why do MAGA Republicans want to repeal the Roadless Rule?

college football
Football

ODU to retire Taylor Heinecke’s jersey at halftime of Oct. 15 Georgia Southern game

Taylor Heinecke, who QB’d ODU Football through its transition from FCS to FBS, and passed for 14,959 passing yards along the way, will have his jersey retired by his alma mater at halftime of the Oct. 15 home game with Georgia Southern.

college football
UVA Football

UVA Football: Norfolk State hung around for a while in 31-10 loss at ODU

ODU got out to a 17-0 lead on Norfolk State, the Week 2 opponent on the UVA Football schedule, but the Spartans made things interesting there for a while, before the Monarchs pulled away for a 31-10 win.

bob chesney jmu
Football

JMUCLA: Bruins defeat Cal, 45-24, in debut for former Dukes coach Bob Chesney

dabo swinney clemson
UVA Football

UVA Football: We’re officially on Clemson Reaching Out to Our Coach Watch

ethan grunkemeyer virginia tech
Football

Virginia Tech takes care of business in opener with VMI in 73-3 win

college football
Football

JMU defeats Liberty, 20-13, in season opener ruled by stout D on both sides