The Virginia Cavaliers dominated Syracuse in the second half of the March 1 meeting. As they celebrated into the night with the vandalism of their own nets, they also jumped seven spots in the AP rankings.
Tony Bennett, the head coach of the Hoos, wore a face of pride and determination as he knew they were not done yet. Bennett has improved the Cavaliers’ record every year since first joining in 2008.
The ACC tournament begins March 12, where the Hoos will be the one seed and after Syracuse’s upset to Georgia Tech on March 4, North Carolina will be the two seed.
Before the tournament, UVA will play Maryland in a game that doesn’t mean much other than finishing off a one-loss ACC season. UVA will most likely their lower class-men as they will need depth in their squad for the ACC Tournament.
Here is the ACC standing as of March 5:
1. #5 Virginia
2. #7 Syracuse
3. #14 North Carolina
4. #4 Duke
5. Pittsburgh
6. Clemson
7. Florida State
8. North Carolina State
9. Maryland
10. Miami
11. Notre Dame
12. Wake Forest
13. Georgia Tech
14. Boston College
15. Virginia Tech
My prediction on UVA’s future is solely based upon their team’s determination. Superstar Joe Harris and Giant Akil Mitchell are Seniors and know this is their last chance to make a name for the Cavaliers. I think the Hoos will make it to the Semifinals where they will face a team like Duke and be eliminated in Overtime. I predict Duke and North Carolina in an in-state clash of the ACC title. The winner will become the number two in the country.
Feature Sports 