The Virginia basketball team got off to a better start in its road game at NC State on Saturday than it had during December games at Memphis and Notre Dame. The Hoos, however, couldn't sustain the improvement and eventually fell 76-60 in Raleigh. It's time to take a closer look within the game with the Double Bonus.
NCSU Countered Virginia Post Doubles
Entering this game, everyone - coaches, players, fans, and analysts - that D.J. Burns Jr. would be a matchup problem for Virginia. The 6'9", 275-pound NC State forward brings a blend of size and playmaking ability that the current UVA roster doesn't have an obvious way to contain. The Hoos started 6'11", 225-pound freshman Blake Buchanan to try to bother Burns, but Buchanan simply isn't there yet in his development and strength gains.
Burns ended up with only 6 points on 3-6 shooting, but he did take advantage of the Buchanan one-on-one matchup. He dribbled into the post and scored twice in the first half for two buckets. Later, he caught the ball just off the blocks and spun around Buchann for a bucket too. (Later, State backup center Ben Middlebrooks beat Buchanan with a one-on-one move in the post too so this game will be a good learning experience for the Wahoo freshman.)
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!