After two consecutive victories in the ACC tournament where the Pitt Panthers scored 80 or more points, it might be fair to assume points will be harder to come by against the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC semifinal that will tip off at 1 p.m. in Greensboro, NC.
This match up will pit two of the top defensive teams in all of college basketball, and based on their first match up, a 48-45 victory for the Cavaliers on a three-pointer at the buzzer in early February at the Pete, expect another tough, low-scoring contest. First team all-ACC performer Malcolm Brogdon hit that buzzer beater and led all scorers with 16 points.
Virginia, who is seeking their first ACC tournament final since 1994, leads the nation in scoring defense, giving up a mere 55.4 points per game. Since the new year, the Cavaliers have only given up more than 70 points once, which also happens to be their only loss in their past 15 games, an overtime loss to Maryland this past Sunday.
Ranking 15th in rebound margin in the NCAA, the Cavaliers indeed have a Pitt feel to their team; defense, rebounding, hard nosed basketball. Much like Panthers coach Jamie Dixon, UVA coach Tony Bennett preaches team basketball, and each player is expected to play in all facets of the game. Bennett has the Cavaliers playing as well as they have in over 20 years and recently was rewarded for his efforts by being named the the ACC coach of the year .
The Cavaliers lean heavily on Brogdon for their scoring (12.6 ppg), along with sharpshooting guard Joe Harris who chips in 11.4 ppg and shoots 41 percent from three-point range. Other players who play roles in their balanced attack include Anthony Gill, Akil Mitchell, Justin Anderson, Mike Tobey, and London Parrentes.
For the Panthers, the theme will continue to be winning the rebounding battle, and outstanding play by Talib Zanna and Lamar Patterson. After a career day of 19 points and 21 rebounds for Zanna against North Carolina, another strong effort by the senior forward would do much to help the Panthers cause.
Patterson, who was limited to 10 points in their first meeting versus Virginia, will need to continue to find his scoring touch that helped him earn 2nd team all-ACC honors. Additional contributions by rising freshmen Josh Newkirk, Jamel Artis, and Michael Young will also be key factors if the Panthers are going to come up victorious. Ultimately, the Panthers ability to respond to the tough defense of UVA will go a long way in deciding the outcome of today’s semifinal.
Virginia has won four straight against the Panthers. The winner will advance to face the winner of the NC State-Duke semifinal Sunday afternoon.
