Between the Blue-White Scrimmage and ACC Tipoff event, Virginia fans quickly jumped into basketball conversations this week. The Cavaliers begin the season against Campbell on Nov. 6 with their eyes on another NCAA Tournament chase after making the field in 9 of 11 events since 2012.
The ACC Tipoff media days in Charlotte provided the first chance to hear the Hoos this season as coach Tony Bennett, Isaac McKneely, and Taine Murray made the trip to represent the program. That led to a variety of topics as they made the rounds, but certain themes popped up throughout the day. Among the highlights:
Offense shifting. Not surprisingly after an offseason of speculation and a scrimmage peek, a lot of talk continues to focus on UVA’s offense. The Cavaliers pointed to better spacing and movement as the main change as well as looking for more 3-point shooting success. Bennett joked in one interview about “running and gunning” more that if the Hoos have the ball for more than 5 seconds, it’s a mistake and then quipped if you believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
Leadership. With seven new faces on the roster, McKneely and Murray are the longest-tenured players in the program. Both talked about the need for them to provide leadership and to push other guys on the team.
New faces. Coach Bennett discussed looking at rosters in two-year increments and finding out more about how this group will progress as the season unfolds. He spoke about Jalen Warley’s versatility and point guard by committee, Elijah Saunders’ chance to make an impact as a strong player that can defend, TJ Power’s shooting and playmaking, and more.
Playing for Coach Bennett. On the Field of 68 Podcast, the group asked the players what it is like playing for Coach Bennett. McKneely, who noted he was grateful for the opportunity to play for him, shared a funny story about a Christmas Day practice where he wasn’t feeling into it. He said Coach Bennett needled him about still being in his Christmas PJ’s eating cookies.
The return of Kyle Guy. Guy, part of the 2019 National Championship team, returned to UVA this season as a special assistant and Athlete Development Mentor. Bennett told reporters in various settings that Guy wanted to come back and get his degree and to explore his “gift” for “mentoring” young people. McKneely said that it was “super special” having Guy back to learn from in practices and workouts. Coach Bennett said that Guy has really helped McKneely as he prepares to try to take the next step as an upperclassman.
Here are some links to videos and transcripts from the ACC Tipoff: VirginiaSports.com 1, VirginiaSports.com 2, TheACC.com, The ACC Digital Network, The ACC Network, and the Field of 68 Podcast.
And with that, here are the weekly picks.
Fan(s) Of The Week
Good times at Scott Stadium.
Student Fan(s) Of The Week
Go Hoos!
Feature Photo Of The Week
Tony Covington, Terry Kirby, and Kevin Cook took the field as part of the Virginia 1989 team's ACC Championship celebration at Scott Stadium.
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