Now here’s something you don’t see every day. The 39 points Virginia scored in a losing effort against Florida in the NCAA tournament the other day hit a new low.
Lower than any scoring total achieved, if that’s the word, during the 2017 season by any ACC team. Five league rivals endured a scoring nadir against Tony Bennett’s vaunted defense. Yet none of them did so poorly as Virginia managed against Florida.
Before that, UVa’s challenged offense scored fewer points than any other ACC team this season, generating a measly 41 at North Carolina.
Yet that wasn’t as low as the offensive output the Cavaliers mustered against Mike White’s Gators. Those 39 points were lower than any ACC team scored last year, either.
In fact, the Cavs’ anemic attack against Florida was – ready? – the worst EVER by an ACC team in NCAA tournament competition. Worse than any team that played prior to the advent of the 3-pointer, worse than any team in the pre-shot clock era. Worse even than any original member of the ACC, which began play in 1954.
So let’s go ahead and ask a simple question that has no simple answer: How much should we continue to laud Bennett and his program, which is consistently good and competitive, but also consistently a basketball version of a wet blanket at both ends of the court?
Does it matter that during Bennett’s eight-year tenure his teams have advanced as far as an NCAA regional final just once (2016, a loss to 10th-seed Syracuse), and gone a cumulative 7-5 in five tournament appearances? If postseason achievement is the ultimate metric, where does that leave the Cavs?
Or the ’17 ACC, for that matter?
Just asking.
STEPPING DOWN TO THE CHALLENGE Worst ACC Team Scoring Totals Ever in NCAA Competition (3-Pointer Not in Effect Prior to 1987, Prior to 1954 Not Technically ACC) |
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Points | School | Result | Opponent | Season | Outing |
39 | Virginia | L. 39-65 | Florida | 2017 | second |
40 | UNC | L, 40-43 | Okla A&M | 1948 | third (title game) |
43 | Pitt | L, 43-47 | Wisconsin | 2016 | first |
43 | Maryland | L, 43-46 | Villanova | 1985 | thirc |
44 | UNC | L, 44-56 | Villanova | 1985 | fourth |
45 | Pitt | L, 45-61 | Florida | 2014 | second |
45 | Virginia | L, 45-71 | Florida | 2012 | first |
47 | Virginia | L, 47-49 | Houston (OT) | 1984 | fifth (FFour) |
48 | Virginia | L, 48-63 | So. Illinois | 2007 | second |
48 | NC State | L, 48-66 | Princeton | 1965 | first |
49 | Clemson | W, 49-47 | BYU | 1990 | first |
49 | NC State | L, 49-60 | St. John's | 1952 | first |