Cavaliers Journal - The Washington Post's blog covering sports at the University of Virginia. - February 21, 2010

Sampson snubbed by HOF, Mattes excited for coaching

One man's case for Ralph Sampson to make the Hall of Fame. Another former Virginia standout in a different sport, Ron Mattes, prepares for a season coaching as a graduate assistant. Danny Hultzen has another big day for Virginia baseball,...

By Zach Berman | February 27, 2010; 10:12 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Solomon Tat's unknown contributions preceded his unexpected playing time

When senior forward Solomon Tat entered the second half of Tuesday's loss to Miami, it was a major surprise. Tat barely gets off the bench, even though he's a scholarship senior. That's often been the case in his career, and...

By Zach Berman | February 26, 2010; 3:39 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Virginia football players to play video games for charity

There's a neat fundraiser involving eight players on Virginia's football team on Sunday, and it works out that you can go before the Virginia-Duke game. See for yourself on the jump......

By Zach Berman | February 26, 2010; 1:18 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Sene provided opportunity to prove himself

At this time last season, Virginia center Assane Sene combined with Sylven Landesberg as one of the most promising players on the Cavaliers' roster. A native of Senegal, Sene was still relatively new to the game. However, the 7-footer oozed...

By Zach Berman | February 26, 2010; 9:27 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)

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Jamil Tucker forgotten piece, Kevin Arico forgets last season

A slow day of links heading into a weekend when Virginia plays Duke... Jamil Tucker is a missing piece, and a lingering question, to the 2009-10 men's basketball team. The Cavaliers prepare for the Blue Devils, which is contending for...

By Zach Berman | February 26, 2010; 8:46 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Poll: Should Sylven Landesberg make first-team all-ACC?

There are still three games remaining in the regular season, so this question might seem premature. But after Virginia guard Sylven Landesberg was one of 30 players named to the Naismith Award midseason list on Wednesday, the question shot to...

By Zach Berman | February 25, 2010; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)

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Tony Bennett: Recent struggles 'part of rebuilding'

There's sometimes a misconception that Tony Bennett did not go through the rebuilding at Washington State, considering the Virginia coach inherited the Cougars just as the program was beginning to emerge in the Pacific-10. However, Bennett was his father's top...

By Zach Berman | February 25, 2010; 9:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Virginia baseball defends No. 1 ranking, Solomon Tat finds playing time

We'll start today's links with baseball. No. 1 Virginia won its first game with the ranking in the home opener. The team has stayed away from worrying about the top ranking. Virginia guard Solomon Tat has been a vocal senior...

By Zach Berman | February 25, 2010; 6:53 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Mike Scott's struggles hurt the Cavaliers

It's a given that players have bad games, but it's hard to find a game in Virginia forward Mike Scott's career that was worse than the one Scott experienced in Tuesday's loss to Miami. Scott missed all seven of his...

By Zach Berman | February 24, 2010; 1:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Sylven Landesberg's injured thigh

Sylven Landesberg's various ailments are often evident after games, when the Virginia star waits in the locker room for interviews while nursing whatever hurts following 30-plus minutes in which Landesberg remains the object of defense's attentions. After Tuesday's loss to...

By Zach Berman | February 24, 2010; 12:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Another difficult loss for Virginia men's basketball

Virginia suffered another big loss -- this time a 12-point defeat to a team the Cavaliers defeated by 18 points last month. It was a big win for Miami, which dominated inside the paint. The Tony Bennett-coached team is looking...

By Zach Berman | February 24, 2010; 9:17 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Halftime: Miami 33, Virginia 32

Well, the team is in it for the second half. That's progress, considering recent events. Sylven Landesberg has half of Virginia's points and connected on all four of his three-pointers. He had not made more than two three-pointers in a...

By Zach Berman | February 23, 2010; 8:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Live from Miami...

...And I'm one of the few! It's a small crowd here at the BankUnited Center for a game between two struggling teams. - A lineup change AGAIN: Tonight's lineups...Baker, Zeglinski, Landesberg, Scott, Meyinsse - Virginia is in its road blues....

By Zach Berman | February 23, 2010; 5:06 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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The future at point guard for Virginia basketball

Virginia signed five players for the Class of 2010, and not a single player is a point guard. When the class was put together, the Cavaliers were young at point guard with sophomore Sammy Zeglinski and freshman Jontel Evans. However,...

By Zach Berman | February 23, 2010; 11:54 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Bennett must weigh present vs. future with lineup decisions

As excited as Virginia fans became when the Cavaliers jumped to a quick start in the ACC season, it never changed the fact that Tony Bennett was not hired to win this season. He was hired to build a program...

By Zach Berman | February 23, 2010; 10:22 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Virginia men's basketball prepares for Miami, baseball reaches No. 1

Virginia looks to rebound against Miami on Tuesday night, although it's clear at this point that rebuilding the program comes without a quick fix. Maybe Tony Bennett needs to lose the necktie. Or maybe he just needs players such as...

By Zach Berman | February 23, 2010; 9:04 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Sylven Landesberg's lack of free throws

When opposing coaches talk about what makes Sylven Landesberg so difficult, one of the first attributes they point to is Landesberg's ability to draw fouls and hit free throws. The sophomore guard has hit 82.2 percent of his free throws...

By Zach Berman | February 22, 2010; 2:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Balancing offense vs. defense in the starting lineup

Virginia has tried three different starting lineups in three different games. The latest lineup included center Assane Sene and Jontel Evans, a sophomore and a freshman who are both limited offensively. Sene has received inconsistent playing time this season, and...

By Zach Berman | February 22, 2010; 12:03 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Cavaliers Journal: February 21, 2010 - February 27, 2010