NCAA Basketball: Predicting when the last 11 undefeated teams of 2018-19 will fall
Virginia (8-0)
Tony Bennett has done everything in his power to try and control the fallout of the historic moment his team suffered last March when they became the first ever 1-seed to lose to a 16-seed in UMBC.
Always hanging their hat on being a defensive force, five of UVA‘s wins have been by double digits with the three exceptions being their wins over Dayton, Maryland and Wisconsin.
Led by Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy and De’Andre Hunter, the Cavaliers are a supremely balanced team who know how to control the pace and play to their liking stylistically.
Which is why, when observing their schedule, it’s easy to circle their January 19th showdown with Duke at Cameron Indoor.
For a team known to control the pace and suffocate teams with defense, it’ll be a tough task to try and stifle the ultra-athletic Duke squad in front of their own home fans. With National Player of the Year candidates in Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett, Duke is top-5 nationally in both adjusted defensive (5th) and offensive (3rd) efficiency.
The Cavaliers are 11th in offense and 2nd in defense in their own right.
Statistically, there isn’t that much of a defensive difference. And for Virginia, this could spell trouble. Duke can feeseably match defensive wits with UVA, but can UVA match the explosiveness of Zion & Company?
Be it a tough atmosphere or a tricky match-up, this is where we’ll chalk up the first loss of the season for the Cavaliers.