Falling to Michigan State in the round of 32 a year ago, the University of Virginia Cavaliers (13-5 ACC, 26-7 overall) enter the 2016 NCAA Tournament with a sour taste in their mouths, looking to avenge their early exit in 2015 with a deep postseason run this time around.
The key to Virginia's tournament success rests on the shoulders of first-team All-American Malcolm Brogdon. While Brogdon has achieved superstar status for a few years now, 2016 proved as a seminal season for the senior guard, as he became the first player in ACC history to take home both player of the year and defensive player of the year in the same season.
In addition to accomplishing this unprecedented feat, Brogdon led his team in scoring for the third time in his career, recording 18.7 points per game, a figure good for fourth-best in the country. As a surefire shot-maker and determined defensive anchor, Brogdon has the capability to step up on a moment's notice and carry his Cavalier comrades through March.
For Virginia to go places in the tournament, maintaining a high intensity on defense must be the priority. Aside from Brogdon, Virginia is not equipped with the offensive firepower that exists on many other tournament teams, so the Cavaliers must play to their strengths on defense to keep them in games.
Schematically, head coach Tony Bennett runs what is referred to as “packline defense.” The key to mastering the packline defense starts with the on-ball defender delivering air-tight pressure to the ball-handler. Once sufficient pressure is applied, the four remaining defenders, otherwise known as the “pack,” must position themselves inside the “packline,” an imaginary line 16 feet from the rim.
The purpose of packline defense is to deny inside penetration and force teams to beat you on the perimeter. Since this style of defense was implemented by Bennett, UVA has turned into a dominating force on defense, ranking second in fewest points allowed at 59 per contest.
The main concern for the Cavaliers heading into the Big Dance revolves around their periodic shortcomings scoring the ball. Even with nearly 20 points per game from Brogdon, the Cavaliers combine for just 70 points per game, which stands as the 247th scoring output in college basketball. Virginia's lack of balance on offense could become troublesome if Brogden’s shots are not falling like they weren’t in the conference championship defeat to North Carolina.
