As expected, Virginia received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, but the Cavaliers' chances of an extended stay in the event don't look nearly as good now as they did in early January.
Personnel losses have cost the Cavaliers much-needed depth as they head into their first NCAA tourney appearance in five years.
They lost starting center Assane Sene to an ankle injury on Jan. 19. Though he was expected to be out about six weeks, he has since been suspended for the rest of the regular season.
More recently, freshman guard Malcolm Brogdon, the first sub off the bench when backcourt relief was desired, injured his ankle in late February. He, too, is out for the remainder of the season.
Thus it will be a shorthanded bunch that will face Florida on March 16 in Omaha. The 22-9 Cavaliers earned a No. 10 seed in the West Region, the 23-10 Gators a No. 7.
The winner will play the winner of the game between No. 2 seed Missouri and No. 15 Norfolk State for the right to advance to the regional semifinals.
The No. 1 seed in the region is Big Ten champion Michigan State.
It would not be stretching it to say that Virginia will go limping into the tournament.
The Cavaliers have won only three of their last eight games and one of their last four, that an overtime decision over Maryland in their final game of the regular season.
Virginia lost to North Carolina State in its only appearance in the ACC tourney.
Florida, too, lost in its conference tourney, falling to Kentucky in the semifinals of the SEC event. The Gators beat Alabama in the quarterfinals.
NOTES, QUOTES
-Virginia is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2007, when the Cavaliers shared the regular-season ACC title with North Carolina. They lost to Tennessee in the second round. The Cavaliers have reached the Final Four twice, losing in the semifinals in 1981 to North Carolina and in the semifinals again in 1984 to Houston.
-Second-round NCAA opponents Virginia and Florida have played only once before, that in the semifinals of the 1992 NIT. The Cavaliers won that game 62-56, then won the championship game over Notre Dame 81-76 in overtime.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
SCOUTING REPORT: Virginia is defense at one end of the court and Mike Scott at the other. The 6-8 senior is one of two Cavaliers averaging in double-figures, but there is nearly an eight-point gap between him and sophomore G Joe Harris. Harris and senior G Sammy Zeglinski are Virginia's major 3-point threats. Depth has become a big concern with injuries sidelining C Assane Sene (who also has been suspended) and backup G Malcolm Brogdon.
FUTURES WATCH: Coming up with scoring punch and rebounding is going to be the No. 1 concern for 2012-13 with Scott departing. F Darion Atkins, a 6-8 freshman, needs to step up on the boards. The incoming recruiting class features two four-star prospects inside in 6-11 C Mike Tobey from Lakeville, Conn., and 6-7 PF Evan Nolte from Alpharetta, Ga.
REGULAR SEASON REVIEW: Virginia got off to an impressive start by winning 14 of its first 15 games. But the conference was not as kind. Though the Cavaliers finished in a tie for fourth with a 9-7 record, they were 0-5 against the three teams ahead of them (North Carolina, Duke, and Florida State) and won only one of their last three regular-season games.
ROSTER REPORT
-Senior F Mike Scott recorded his 34th career double-double and 10th of the season with his 23 points and 10 rebounds in the loss to North Carolina State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals.
-Sophomore G Joe Harris reached double-figures for the 37th time in his career with 18 points against the Wolfpack.
-Sophomore Akil Mitchell has averaged 4.9 points and 3.7 points a game in 14 starts since taking over for the injured Assane Sene. Sene was averaging the same numbers in 17 starts before his ankle injury.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I've never been to the tournament, so I am hoping they will put us in there." -- Senior F Mike Scott, before the Cavaliers were confirmed as one of the 68 teams in the NCAA Tournament.
