A hail of three-pointers melded with smothering defense to deliver a convincing Virginia win, 89-42, over Monmouth. The comfortable victory banished nagging worries after a mediocre performance in Monday’s 73-61 victory against North Carolina Central.
Monmouth sucks. That was painfully obvious a few days ago, when an injury-laden Seton Hall team dispatched the Hawks.
But Virginia’s systematic dismantling of Monmouth, no matter how rudderless the Hawks appear, heartened many a Wahoo fan. Virginia shuddered to life midway through the first half and abruptly pulled away. A 19-17 game became 67-27, and then 89-42.
Bennett fiddled with lineups throughout the contest, especially as the score grew lopsided. His fiddling revealed a rotation whose contours are taking shape but that has yet to solidify.
We can only glean so much from two games against mediocre opponents, but here are three takeaways.
A first-year duo steals the spotlight
Ryan Dunn’s butt didn’t leave the bench on Monday—except perhaps to cheer for his teammates—so it was quite a shock when the long, elastic first-year checked in on Friday to play a spellbinding 27 minutes that began with a silky three and ended with widespread De’Andre Hunter comparisons.
The 6-foot-8 Dunn, an imposing defender who played the packline like a veteran and at one point flashed across the court to block a three, tallied 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 2 assists. Talk about an introduction.
Equally impressive was Isaac McKneely, who shot a sterling 4-6 from deep on his way to 15 points. McKneely’s stroke is pure, taut. He played 23 minutes in the season opener, installed straight into the rotation by Bennett.
He and Dunn are pivotal to Virginia’s success. This is a team built primarily on last year’s nucleus, which is replete with veteran leadership but failed to qualify for last year’s NCAA Tournament.
That nucleus needed an upgrade, and so Bennett infused it with a vibrant dose of Dunn and McKneely.
Taine Murray and the redshirts
Dunn’s and McKneely’s greatness has overshadowed Taine Murray, the second-year scrabbling for a foothold to climb the rotation. Murray is the team’s lone second-year, the only remnant from last year’s recruiting class after Carson McCorkle and Igor Milicic transferred in a small exodus.
Murray’s outlook is bleak. Dunn and McKneely have already leapfrogged him, and Ben Vander Plas jumped Murray in the rotation the moment he transferred. Virginia has depth this season.
That fact aligns with the decision to redshirt two members of the first-year class, Leon Bond and Isaac Traudt. Tremors began when the news broke: Some fans wondered whether transfers were imminent. But this is a good thing.
The decision to redshirt shows a long-term commitment to the program. Bond and Traudt wouldn’t have played much, and redshirting them preempts frustrations about playing time while adding another year of eligibility.
Three-point barrage evokes wonder
The threes rained from the corner, from the wing, from the top of the key. Sixteen of them in all. On 25 attempts. Sixty-four percent.
It was glorious to behold.
Armaan Franklin drilled a couple. Kihei Clark hit a pair. Vander Plas knocked down two.
But, as a cautionary tale, recall the first game of the 2020-21 season. The Covid season. Bubbleville. Virginia against Towson. The Hoos won, 89-54, hitting 15 threes on 29 attempts.
There was dancing in the streets of Charlottesville.
But the season crumbled when the well of threes dried up. Virginia had the three-pointer—and not much else. If, like that team, Virginia relies too heavily on the three, danger lurks.
On the other hand, last year’s dreadful three-point shooting doomed the Hoos. Friday’s unrelenting three-point barrage felt liberating. The three-pointer is back in Charlottesville, crucially so.
Virginia is back in action on Monday. The Hoos will host Northern Iowa at 8 p.m. ET on the ACCN.
Image – Virginia Athletics
1 comment
Beginning of a fantastic season. Keep it going Hoos!
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