ACC Basketball: Updated preseason rankings for 2018-19

Your eye rolls and feelings that Virginia is overrated and shouldn’t be in this spot are expected. Yet it’s also important not to let their embarrassing loss to UMBC blind you from just how dominant this team was during the regular season last year.

The Cavaliers return five of their top eight scorers from that 31-3 team – including their three best players in Jerome, Guy, and Hunter. Hunter, who missed the loss to UMBC, is one of the best defenders in the country and is expected to have the kind of breakout season that makes him a lottery pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

With experience and star power, we know what to expect from UVA. Head coach Tony Bennett’s squad will have the nation’s best defense, play at a slow pace, and win a lot of games.

However, I am curious to see how opposing teams handle Virginia. UMBC pressed them and forced a lot of turnovers, giving Jerome a lot of problems in particular. Will more teams try to utilize that strategy, and will UVA continue to struggle with it?

They’ll continue to be doubted all season – nothing will matter for them until March, anyways – but they’re a group that, like last year, will likely stay at the top of the polls all season long. Their defense is just that good.