By Jerry Ratcliffe
This evening’s NCAA Midwest Region second-round game between No. 3 seed Virginia (30-5) and No. 6 seed Tennessee (23-11) is expected to be decided by both finesse and power.
Both teams play with a lot of physicality, which could rule the day, particularly if one team sets the tone early. That’s the power part of the equation. The finesse? The mighty 3-point shot, something both teams have in their arsenal.
Virginia’s Jacari White and Tennessee’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie each made big news in the first round with their 3-point shooting, both making six triples to pace their teams. The two seniors might have a lot to say in whether the Cavaliers or Volunteers move on to the Sweet Sixteen.
“(White) played a terrific game,” said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes in pointing out UVA’s sharpshooter. “I think they would say he impacted the game for them the way that Ja’Kobi did for us. [White] can get up off the ground, get a shot off any time he wants it. What was impressive is when they pushed out on him, he was able to get by, made some terrific layups, some nice shots off the backboard.
“So it presents a challenge, and we like our individual defense. We think we have guys who can guard the ball, but we have never asked a guy to guard anyone of that caliber one-on-one. It has to be a team defense, and we have to have that Sunday.”
White became the first player to come off the bench and score 26 or more points and shoot 83 percent or higher in an NCAA Tournament game since Middle Tennessee’s Mike Buck in 1989 against Florida State.
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With his six triples, White kept Virginia in the game all day against upset-minded Wright State. After UVA started the day 3 of 11 from the arc, the Cavaliers made nine consecutive 3’s. It was the 21st time this season that Virginia made 10 or more shots from the 3-point line, a program record.
White’s first five 3-pointers flipped the lead and either tied the game or put Virginia ahead, something the senior guard said just happens organically and comes with the flow of the game or the flow of the offense.
Virginia coach Ryan Odom is just glad White isn’t reluctant.
“When he’s open, we want him to shoot it,” Odom said Saturday. “He’s one of the best shooters in the country when he’s locked and loaded and feeling it. You have to see that first one go in on game day and he did, and then he was kind of on from there. But to make the big shots, absolutely. It takes a will and a confidence to take it. Think about the Miami shot he took. A lot of coaches would say, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s terrible. Why on Earth is he shooting the ball there?’ He was in a moment and on a heater. You have to trust your players.”
Barnes has that kind of trust in Gillespie, who scored 29 points in helping the Vols dismantle once-beaten Miami of Ohio, a team that depended heavily on the 3-point shot.
“Ja’Kobi has had a terrific year and certainly is one of the best players in college basketball,” Barnes said. “We put a lot on him this year. We’ve asked a lot from him and he’s far exceeded that in so many different ways.”
Tennessee’s Bishop Boswell was asked what difference there might be in Miami’s and Virginia’s 3-point offenses.
“They’re similar. They put up around 30 threes a game. They’re also doing a job attacking it early if they have the open three, so I think kind of just the same thing as we did against [Miami],” Boswell said. “Just being in gaps early and playing out, guarding the three-point line as best we can, but [Virginia] is balanced, so just trying to take away as much as we can.”
UVA had five players make at least one 3-pointer against Wright State. White had 6, Malik Thomas 3, Sam Lewis 2, Devin Tillis 1 and Thijs De Ridder 1.
As Boswell said, Virginia’s guards have done a better job the second half of the season in driving to the basket, as has De Ridder. UVA’s pair of 7-footers, Johann Grünloh and Ugonna Onyenso, can also create some damage in the paint.
The Vols have players who are multi-faceted scorers as well, including Gillespie.
“You can tell that Coach Barnes really trusts Gillespie,” Odom said. “He’s dynamite. Just when you think you have him cornered, he gets around you and finds a way to get to the basket. He banks big shots. He’s really good on defense in terms of stealing the ball. He’s got great hands. He’s a tremendous floor general. He’s been doing it at every spot, Belmont to Maryland and now Tennessee. He’s just a winner.”
Tennesse also has an X factor on its team in 6-10 freshman Nate Ament, who is from the state of Virginia. Considered a sure-fire one-and-done, Ament has been limited by a knee sprain that has taken away some of his effectiveness. Still, Odom is leary of what the talented freshman is capable of, even though Ament played only 18 minutes, went 0 for 3 shooting and didn’t score against Miami.
“I’ve watched Nate a ton and it’s so cool to see his development,” Odom said. “I know he’s had some injuries, but what a player he is, what a kid he is, just a really good player to have in college, and I know Tennessee and Coach Barnes are excited they have been able to coach him his year.
“He’s just a generational talent. He’s 6-10, can dribble, can pass, can shoot. He can make hard twos. He rebounds. He plays hard. He’s just really good. He can come in Sunday or any game and get 25 to 30 points. That’s they type of talent he is.”
If you want even more award-winning coverage on the UVA athletics department, including its nationally-ranked football and basketball programs, be sure to subscribe to “Cavalier Exclusive” to follow all of Virginia Sports Hall Of Famer Jerry “Hootie” Ratcliffe’s analysis and content. It’s the best in the business for Wahoo Fans!
