After being picked to finish last in the ACC, the Cavaliers' only hope is to rebuild. And after losing star Sean Singletary to the NBA, Virginia doesn't have much of a base.
The major attraction on the roster is highly touted freshman guard-forward Sylven Landesberg. As the nation's 39th-ranked prospect, Landesberg brings great court vision and adaptive scoring ability to the young Virginia team.
During the squad's August trip to Canada, Landesberg averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game, showing head coach Dave Leitao that he is ready for the college game.
"He's very cerebral-he really understands the game," assistant coach Bill Courtney said of Landesberg. "We saw immediately that he could handle the ball and make good decisions."
Joining Landesberg in this year's freshman class are center Assane Sene, center John Brandenburg and redshirt freshman Sammy Zeglinski.
Although the freshman class brings in some talent, the foundation of the team will be a core of upperclassmen. Junior guard Mamadi Diane should lead the team in scoring with a good majority of his points coming from behind the 3-point stripe. Diane was second on the team in scoring last year, averaging 11.8 points per game.
Accompanying Diane will be junior Calvin Baker and sophomores Jeff Jones and Mike Scott, all of whom bring much-needed experience to this young team. Jones, Scott and Diane all started last year.
"We've got so many questions to get answered with this particular team," Leitao said. "You have to prove yourself-certain people need to see if they're ready to take on a new role."
Virginia's strength will certainly be its backcourt. A relatively small group in terms of height, it will excel in mid-range shooting and a fast-paced offense.
The Cavaliers' weak frontcourt, meanwhile, will be a common point of exploitation.
After all, while Leitao's squad might put up points, it could give up a whole lot more.
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