Virginia Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Cavaliers

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 10: Tournament MVP Kyle Guy #5 of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 71-63 during the championship game of the 2018 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center on March 10, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images /

Virginia Basketball fell early in last year’s NCAA Tournament, but that’s just more fuel for the 2018-19 campaign. Here’s a look at their season preview.

The college basketball season starts on Tuesday and the Virginia Cavaliers don’t have much to hang their head about from last year. Despite falling in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament to the No. 16 seed UMBC Retrievers, they still return as their favorite to win it all in the ACC.

Head coach Tony Bennett and company went 31-3 in 2017-18, 17-1 in conference play, winning the regular season and conference tournament championship en route to a historic season. The departures of Isaiah Wilkins and Devon Hall will sting a bit but they have some players returning due for breakout seasons.

One player due for a big season is forward De’Andre Hunter. Hunter passed up on the NBA Draft to return for his sophomore year. Last season’s ACC Sixth Man of the Year was missed dearly in the Cavaliers first-round tournament appearance but if he is fully healthy, they have a legit NBA prospect in their rotation. Then there’s their fearless backcourt of Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome, two players due for big seasons given last year’s result. Guy is a solid 3-point shooter while Jerome as their floor leader should lead this Virginia squad deep in the NCAA Tournament.

Those won’t be the only guys to keep an eye on for the Cavaliers this season. As we gear up for another exciting college basketball season, here’s a look at the 2018-19 season preview for the Virginia Cavaliers.

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