The Grounds

Went to the game tonight. Very exciting game. My 8 year old nephew wanted to run out on the court after the win, I have to admit it was fun. UVA vs. VCU would be a fascinating match up and contrast in styles in the NCAA.

The 'Hoos want no part of a team that presses full-court -- and does it well -- for 40 minutes.

Yeah...but its not an ACC press. Its a CAA press.

I think we'd win more often than not this year b/c of Mike Scott but I think our guards would have problems handling the ball. Their guards are just as athletic if not more and would create problems for us IMO. Smart would have them ready to go as he would play the giant killer CAA vs ACC thing to the fullest and they would come out and go extremely hard. Just b/c we whipped Drexel earlier this year doesnt mean squat against VCU in two weeks.

I think we win but it would be close and Scott would have to get 20+ and we'd have to make some 3s.....which is our recipe for success against any other opponent.

If the game is ref'd in a style that lets more physical play go uncalled, our chances of winning go down IMO.

Oh please. I would have rather you cursed at me, honestly. I'm merely looking at fact. We haven't lost to a upper tier ACC team by more than single digits but once this season. VCU doesn't scare me at all just look at their OOC schedule and look at the CAA by numbers this year as pointed out by HooPerk.

ACC went 7-0 vs. the CAA this season. Those results (with the teams' conference rankings) are listed below:

#4 UVA over #1 Drexel 49-35
#11 GT over #2 VCU 73-60
#4 UVA over #3 George Mason 68-48
#5 NCS over #7 Northeastern 88-59
#8 UMD over #9 UNC-Wilmington 71-62
#10 WF over #9 UNC-Wilmington 87-78
#4 UVA over #12 Towson 57-50

VCU's OOC wins are St. Francis, Western Kentucky (twice!), South Florida, George Washington, Richmond, UAB, Akron, UNC Greensboro, and Northern Illinois.

Not to mention they were at home, that had a factor too.

You're right I am hedging against our guards performance by using the athleticism disadvantage I perceive. But I dont know if it's an inaccurate perception due to the Miami ACCT game last year and the FSU game this year. Those teams had better "athletes" than us and when they went all out on D, full court trap we wilted embarassingly fast. Bub is a great athlete IMO but he's less skilled with the ball, when you speed him up you get turnovers.

VCU's guards may not be the athletes that Miami/FSU's are but they would still bother us and they'd do it for 40 mins......we would have to be very effecient on O when we did get set up and MIke Scott would help in that regard.

The 9% 3 pt avg increase has nothing to due with my argument b/c I'm not saying VCU will have another deep run. I'm strictly talking about the matchup of UVa - VCU in two weeks with the current rosters and I think it's a bit naive to think our guards would be unaffected against their pressure and we'd win going away.

I'm not saying that we'd win going away. I apologize if that's the impression that I'm making. I would be much more confident with the match up than it appears some are. As far as the press, you have to remember that FSU is in the top of the country in defensive statistics and does have that athletes that I fear. They are much longer, more athletic, etc. Do I think this would be an ideal match up for us? No. I'm merely stating that I wouldn't be up having a coffee at 6am the morning of because I couldn't sleep the night before the game.

Kraken, you're a good dude, have some legit points and you may be right. It would be entertaining and I hope we'd bust their tails. Maybe I am selling our guards short and I realize that. I've never had much faith in JE or SZ against pressure D. But you're right with the logic that a CAA backcourt should not be able to pressure an ACC backcourt into losing the game.

And with Mike Scott inside we'd have a huge advantage.

VCU isn't going deep again IMO , I agree with you that losing Skeen/Rodriguez are major blows and they didnt look overly skilled last night against Drexel (lots of missed shots, bad passes, blown lay-ups).

I wouldnt call it a win, I was thinking more 'respectful draw'

You had some good points though and I thought it was worth acknowledging them. I enjoyed the convo and I hope like hell we can beat NC St and somehow beat Duke on a neutral floor. We at least have to win a ACCT game....the ACCT futility is getting downright embarassing.

GO HOOS!!