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2000-01 record: 20-9; 9-7 in ACC (4th)
Final Ranking: No. 21 ESPN/USA Today
Postseason: Lost to Gonzaga, 86-85 in first round of NCAA Tournament.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Mason 15.7 ppg | Rebounds: Watson 9.1 rpg | Assists: Mason 2.5 apg | FG %: Hall 50.9% | 3pt %: Mason 44.2% | FT %: Mason 88.4% | 00-01 Stats: Virginia | ACC
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Wed., Oct. 31
Pete Gillen has done a remarkable job at Virginia, and has brought the Cavalier program back onto the national scene in short order. But with Majestic Mapp, whose recovery was unusually slow, now out for the season with a knee injury, Gillen will have to hand the ball to his best scorer, Roger Mason, Jr. to run the point, and hope that Keith Jenifer can learn the ropes and develop quickly. Mason is incredibly talented and ready to become a star, and he has a soaring confidence level. Travis Watson is a big-time rebounder and interior scorer who is stepping out some, while Chris Williams is still the ultimate garbage man in the ACC. Williams plays looks like Clark Kent on the floor, but like Superman on the stat sheet. Adam Hall, J.C. Mathis and Elton Brown will all be major contributors, but Gillen's major concerns have to be consistent perimeter shooting, halfcourt defense, and winning on the road. If Virginia could wear home white uniforms every game, they could go undefeated. |
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Virginia No. 15 in ESPN.com Top 25
Outlook
The Cavs had a great plan in place -- return every starter but the point guard, but upgrade there with steady Majestic Mapp back after a redshirt year to replace inconsistent Donald Hand.
That was the plan. But two weeks before practice began, the Cavs announced Mapp's knee injury is going to sideline him for a second consecutive year.
Plan B has Roger Mason running the point, which could jeopardize what had been such a promising season.
Mason (15.7 ppg, 2.5 apg), a 6-foot-5 junior, is the Cavs' best player and a possible NBA guard some day -- but he's not a point guard. Freshmen Keith Jenifer and Jermaine Harper will back him up, so Mason will bear the brunt of the load at least in the early stages.
Elsewhere, Virginia had one huge guy last season, and now the Cavaliers will have two. Along with 6-8, 254-pound junior Travis Watson (12.3 ppg, 9.1 rpg), Virginia now will have 6-8, 250-pound freshman Elton Brown. They'll provide the beef, which should allow 6-6 senior Chris Williams (14.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg) to do his smooth thing all over the court and try to become the most unassuming player in ACC history to score 2,000 career points. What Williams lacks in flash, 6-5 super-athlete Adam Hall (10.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) has in abundance.
Meanwhile, if Brown isn't ready, 6-8 sophomore J.C. Mathis (3.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg) could start at center. Jason Rogers, a 6-10 junior, hasn't helped much yet, but could this season. Freshman Jason Clark also will get a look. Sophomore wing Maurice Young (2.6 ppg) is pretty good for an eighth or ninth man.
What we like: The Cavaliers have improved every year under Pete Gillen, and with so many players back, why should this season be any different?
What we don't like: Mason at the point. He's a great player, but will he be even adequate at this new position, in such a high-quality league?
The bottom line: With Mapp, Virginia would have been favored to finish in the top three. Without him, finishing ahead of Duke or Maryland looks out of the question, but enough talent remains for the Cavs to make a run at third in the league, and a high seed in the NCAA tournament.
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Key Players Returning
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Player
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Yr.
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Roger Mason Jr.
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Jr.
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G
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6-5/201
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PTS: 15.7 | REB: 3.7 | AST: 2.5
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Chris Williams
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Sr.
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F
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6-7/206
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PTS: 14.5 | REB: 6.7 | AST: 2.0
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Travis Watson
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Jr.
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F
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6-8/254
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PTS: 12.3 | REB: 9.1 | AST: 0.9
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Adam Hall
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Sr.
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F
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6-5/195
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PTS: 10.1 | REB: 5.5 | AST: 1.2
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Key Losses
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Donald Hand
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G
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5-11/193
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PTS: 12.6 | REB: 3.2 | AST: 6.0
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Keith Friel
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G
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6-4/195
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PTS: 8.4 | REB: 1.0 | AST: 0.6
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Virginia Signings
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht.
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High School/College
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Jason Clark
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F
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6-8
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Virginia Beach/Hargrave Military Academy (Va.)
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Elton Brown
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F
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6-8
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Newport News/Warwick High (Va.)
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Jermaine Harper
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G
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6-3
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Gardena/Blue Ridge School (Va.)
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Keith Jenifer
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G
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6-3
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Baltimore/Hargrave Military Academy (Md.)
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