Want to cheer on the ‘Hoos this season, but have no idea how to hold a conversation about the team? Have no fear. Here are the top 5 things you need to know this year about UVA basketball.
1. Our team is ranked as the 8th best in the country
That’s right. For the third year in a row, UVA basketball is ranked in the top 10 to start the season. Which means the ‘Hoo Crew won’t be the only people following our team. BFD.
2. We said goodbye to a lot of famous faces last season
Ahh yes. A lot of the names we came to recognize over the years have graduated. This year we’ll be missing out on Anthony Gill (the guy who always wore a headband to hold back his luscious locks), Evan Nolte (the one known for sinking 3-pointers), Mike Tobey (the big guy underneath the basket that brought us “Tele-Tobey”), and Caid Kirven (the cutie on the bench, famous for his shrugging abilities). And, of course, we can’t forget about UVA’s prized possession for 5 years, Malcolm Brodgon. All these players will be sorely missed.
3. But our new freshmen players are supposed to be good. Like, really good.
According to rankings, UVA Basketball’s freshman class is the 7th best incoming class in the country. Keep an eye out for the names Mamadi Diakite, Kyle Guy, Jay Huff, De’Andre Hunter, and Ty Gerome. We also picked up a stud transfer from Memphis, Austin Nichols, who previously made first team All-American. This should be good.
4. UVA Basketball is known for its “Packline Defense.”
If you know anything about UVA basketball, you know that we pride ourselves on our special defense; last season we statistically had the second best defense in the league. If you hear announcers say “Packline Defense,” you now know they’re talking about the unique formation UVA uses to shut down our opponents. Get ready for a lot of steals and blocked shots.
5. If you don’t go to the games, you’ll be missing out.
There’s nothing like the atmosphere in John Paul Jones Area. In fact, College Gameday host Rece Davis cited UVA’s crowd as the best fans in the country on the Gameday Tour. Plus, after a not-so-great football season, we’ll all enjoy cheering on a winning team. Bottom line: be there, or be missing out on what’s shaping up to be another historic season.