Just two weeks ago, Virginia was walking off its home court having fallen to Clemson by 17 points. On Tuesday night, in front of a sparse crowd at Littlejohn Coliseum, the Hoos exacted their revenge on the Tigers in a 75-65 victory.
The game seesawed back and forth throughout the first half. Clemson took the advantage at halftime, and with eight minutes to play in the game, had it again. But Virginia gradually pulled away, opening a gap and securing the double-digit win. It was Virginia’s largest margin of victory in its three ACC wins.
A new year is upon us, and with it, apparently, a new team. Tony Bennett seems to have flipped a switch when the calendar turned, illuminating the way forward for a team previously stumbling around in the dark.
Two games in a season of 30+ are hardly conclusive evidence of a revitalization, but things are looking pretty good for Virginia right about now. Here are three takeaways from another convincing win.
The offensive ceiling is higher than anticipated
In the win, Virginia eclipsed 70 points in a second consecutive game. It was a team effort, a hard-fought victory earned by the collective effort of the eight guys that stepped onto the court.
It was also the Jayden Gardner show.
Gardner has had big nights before, most notably his 21 points and 13 rebounds against Providence. There, he went up against Providence big Nate Watson, a hulking 6-10 center set to tear through the Big East. Against Clemson, he disposed of PJ Hall, the Tigers’ similarly-sized big man who Gardner struggled against two weeks ago.
It seems like the East Carolina transfer can just will the ball into the basket. He’ll catch the ball with his back to the hoop, turn, and shove aside anybody who dares obstruct him on his way to the bucket. A smooth jumper means he can also do it from the midrange.
Gardner has been Virginia’s most impressive player thus far. In Littlejohn, though, he seemed to tap into another reserve of skill, scoring 23 points in 34 minutes on 7-11 shooting. His ability to produce against good defense suggests another level that this team can ascend to offensively.
The rest of the guys were good, too. Armaan Franklin chipped in with 13, and Kihei Clark, Reece Beekman, Kadin Shedrick, and Francisco Caffaro added 8 apiece. Virginia shot the ball well, turned it over rarely and secured it on rebounds more often than not.
The offense seemed headed to new lows just a couple weeks ago, but two consecutive big offensive outings indicate that the Hoos have turned a corner.
Kihei is the three-point shooter
Every good team has to have a three-point shooter. Somebody who can consistently be relied upon to make shots from beyond the arc. Sure, that shooter might be unseated from his throne for a game or two, but he always regains it before long.
For a while, this Virginia team was in search of its shooter. The throne sat unoccupied. Preseason, Franklin had one foot on the steps leading up to the throne, but his failure to sink shots from deep stopped him from ascending those steps.
Now, from the unlikeliest of places, another has been anointed the king of Virginia’s three-point shot: Kihei Clark.
A third-year season shooting 32% from downtown did not foreshadow Kihei’s rapid shift from non-shooter to knockdown shooter. He did start this season shooting in the low 40%-range, but that was on a small sample size.
Then, against Syracuse, Kihei drilled 3 of 5 three-point attempts. Against Clemson, he hit 2 of 5, bringing his total from the two games to 50%.
It wasn’t just the number of makes, though, it was the timing of them. In the Carrier Dome, he nailed a three from Ty Jerome range with a few minutes to go, extending Virginia’s lead and greatly contributing to the victory. At Littlejohn, he hit two in the game’s latter stages, both off-balance shots, both in clutch moments.
Kihei’s propensity for hitting clutch threes in big moments has frustrated opponents and given Virginia a big boost. It will continue to do so.
Another test awaits: at UNC
This final takeaway is not a look back at the Clemson game, but a look forward to the next one. Virginia will head to the Dean Dome to take on North Carolina on Saturday.
Virginia has owned the Heels over the last five years, much to the chagrin of the folks down in Chapel Hill. Let it be known that Roy Williams ended his coaching career having lost seven consecutive games to Tony Bennett.
The Hoos will look to extend that streak over the weekend, and they’ll have to do it against the second-best team the ACC has to offer. The conference is in a down year, which means that even its second-best outfit is not ranked. Still, Carolina has no bad losses on its 10-3 resume, and will provide a real test for the marauding Wahoos.
Two good wins are evidence of a resurgence; a third would be proof. It’s been a dramatic turnaround for Virginia, and the disparity between the first meeting with Clemson and the second underscored that nicely.
Image – Virginia Athletics
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Excellent commentary.
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