-Matt Cox
Key Returners: Kihei Clark, Reece Beekman, Kadin Shedrick, Kody Stattmann
Key Losses: Trey Murphy, Sam Hauser, Jay Huff, Tomas Woldetensae
Key Newcomers: Armaan Franklin (Indiana), Jayden Gardner (East Carolina), Igor Milicic Jr., Taine Murray
Lineup:
Before being absolutely hosed by an ill-timed COVID pause, the Hoos were back on that same old boring bullsh*t: Grinding ACC opponents into a beaten pulp.
For the second year in a row, Virginia overcame a myriad of roster warts – at least, relative to the rock star roster of 2019 – to retain their seat atop the ACC throne. Usually, the dog days of conference play would expose critical weaknesses, be it inexperience, lack of depth or disjointed chemistry. Somehow, the Cavs have developed something of an innate callus to these blemishes.
What made last season unique was that those imperfections emerged on defense. The overused “death, taxes and [insert certainty]” idiom is commonly filled with “Virginia’s defense being awesome”. Heading into last year, the Hoos had fielded a top-10 defensive unit in 9 of Bennett’s last 10 seasons. Most prognosticators cited valid personnel concerns but, in the end, we were told to “trust the system”. And so, we did.
So, what in the world happened then?
36th?!?! A GHASTLY 36th?!?!
At the expense of disturbing the Virginia fanbase hornet’s nest, let’s quickly diffuse this alarm. First off, UVA’s season long defensive metrics are a bit skewed by a sluggish start in the non-con. In fact, if you isolate conference games, the Hoos checked in with the 2nd best unit in the ACC on an adjusted efficiency basis, per KenPom.
Rather than nitpick the official grade of UVA’s D, there’s a broader takeaway from last year. Yes, Bennett is perhaps the greatest defensive mastermind the college game has ever seen. Yes, the system will always perform greater than the sums of its parts. But the five guys on the floor still matter.
Look no further than that insane run from 2014 to 2020. The pack line formula underpins all of Bennett’s defensive success but don’t discredit the individual brilliance of Malcolm Brogdon, Justin Anderson, Akil Mitchell, Anthony Gill, Isaiah Wilkins and Mamadi Diakite, all of whom were ELITE defenders at their respective positions.
Prior to last year, a Virginia preseason prognosis need only focus on one end of the floor. Now, in the wake of last season’s revelation – that is, Virginia’s defense isn’t ALWAYS invincible – it warrants further examination.
On the surface, the Hoos seemed to be missing that element of tenacity last year. As detailed by the Augusta Free Press, Bennett wasted no time fixing that with the transfer toolbox. He wisely targeted East Carolina free agent Jayden Gardner to restore that element of physicality:
Gardner said Bennett told him this past year’s team was “more about finesse and skill, and there was a lack of toughness, and I was a tough guy they need and a presence they need and also a guy that can do multiple things on the court. Toughness was a big one.”
Joining a roster with a slew of question marks, Gardner will be the steadying rock on both ends. He’s got all the prerequisite physical tools to be a great wing / forward hybrid defender, now a top priority in the wake of Trey Murphy’s NBA departure. Granted, Gardner’s built more as an interior bully than a rangy wing stopper, and in the face of a thin frontline rotation, Bennett will likely skew Gardner’s minutes toward the 4 and 5 spots.
At East Carolina, he proved worthy of anchoring a defense as the primary rim protector – hooplens.com reveals ECU’s defense didn’t falter with Gardner as the main man in the middle. Despite standing 6’7, Gardner’s long and bulky enough to hold his own inside, sans support. And on the other end, that same frame is what enables his crafty ‘old man’ game:
All things considered, Gardner will be Bennett’s queen on a chess board, capable of toggling between multiple positions and matchups, depending on the opponent. But when ACC action rolls along, bet on Bennett complementing Gardner with another tree up front.
Kadin Shedrick is the clear-cut favorite to step into Jay Huff’s shoes. An untimely illness last year put Shedrick on the shelf down the stretch, further delaying his much-anticipated development. His fragility is worrisome but, as pointed out by Streaking the Lawn, Bennett was content to pass on available centers in the transfer pool this offseason – thus, hinting at the staff’s confidence in Shedrick. 7-foot Argentinian Francisco Caffaro will spell Shedrick off the bench, another wildcard reserve with serious runway for growth. Bennett’s typically used him against supersized frontlines so expect his minutes to fluctuate based on matchups.
The loss of Murphy depletes the wing depth but the staff is banking on big contributions from Indiana transfer Armaan Franklin, incumbent Kody Stattmann, and a pair of highly regarded foreign imports, Igor Milicic (Poland) and Taine Murray (New Zealand).
I know I’m angering positional purists by lumping Franklin in the ‘wing’ category, but the former IU combo guard will masquerade as such this season. He’s a plus sized 2-guard who emerged as a nails defender under Archie Miller’s tutelage at Indiana. Despite nagging ankle injuries, Franklin sprouted on the offensive end as well – by season’s end, most Indiana fans recognized Franklin as their most indispensable guard.
Milicic is a lengthy wing with guard skills, akin to the steadily aging, though yet to blossom, Stattmann. I had high hopes Stattmann coming into last year, so I anxiously await his blast off. Milicic, along with the sharpshooting Murray, are young but they collectively fill a gargantuan void left behind by Murphy and Sam Hauser: perimeter shooting.
In the absence of a gamebreaking playmaker at point guard, Bennett reverted back to his old offensive ways last year. Decorated veteran Kihei Clark and perimeter stopper Reece Beekman were deployed as a quasi dual point guard attack but Bennett used them more as ball movers and connectors. It’s worth reminding folks that Bennett did tinker with a whole new offense early on last season but reverted back to the old template more often than not.
Clark and Beekman worked well within the rigid confines of the mover blocker structure because of Hauser and Murphy’s effectiveness coming off screens, as well as Huff’s ability to stretch the defense. Per Synergy, Virginia’s offensive possessions ended in a spot up attempt 37% of the time, the highest frequency in the country, proof that the Cavs placed a heavy premium on catch-and-shoot looks coming off screens. While Beekman is touted as a prime breakout candidate this season, I remain skeptical that he’ll revolutionize the offense alone. As a result, sticking to last year’s script seems like the best route to optimizing the current roster.
Bottom Line: The roster may lack flash and pizazz, but the Hoos aren’t going anywhere. Like the last two seasons, growing pains are to be expected, as Bennett will have to throw multiple dudes with minimal experience into the fire right away. And even though the newcomers are well regarded and proven performers, integration into the Virginia machine is not an overnight task.
After last year’s unparalleled identity shift (defense to offense), the pendulum should swing back the other way in 2022. The net effect, though, should manifest in roughly the same outcome: an ACC title contender with eyes on a top-5 seed in the big dance.