Busting Brackets
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ACC Basketball: Biggest questions and storylines for 2019 NCAA Tournament

By Bryan Manning

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Teammates Zion Williamson #1, RJ Barrett #5, and Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils react after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Teammates Zion Williamson #1, RJ Barrett #5, and Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils react after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – MARCH 09: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers cuts down the net after winning a game against the Louisville Cardinals to a clinch a share of the ACC regular season title at John Paul Jones Arena on March 9, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – MARCH 09: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers cuts down the net after winning a game against the Louisville Cardinals to a clinch a share of the ACC regular season title at John Paul Jones Arena on March 9, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

Can Virginia finally get to the Final Four?

Head coach Tony Bennett has done a marvelous job since taking over the Virginia program in 2009. In each of his first four seasons, Bennett improved UVa each season before becoming an annual powerhouse in 2013-14. Since that season, the Cavaliers have won the ACC Tournament twice, and the regular season title on four different occasions.

However, it’s Bennett’s record in the NCAA Tournament that has left him open to criticism. Bennett has one Elite Eight appearance back in 2016 but has yet to get any of his outstanding teams to a Final Four. And, of course, one year ago, the Cavaliers became the first No. 1 seed in NCAA history to fall to a No. 16 seed, when UMBC took them down.

So, UVa’s recent history in the NCAA Tournament has created many skeptics. As the No. 1 seed in the South region, the Wahoos take on Gardner-Webb in the first round. Friday afternoon could be a difficult one for the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb. In the second round, UVa would face either Ole Miss or Oklahoma, meaning its path to the Sweet 16 doesn’t appear all that difficult.

Never say never, though. This team is good enough to beat anyone — yes, anyone — but until the Cavaliers finally breakthrough and get into the Final Four, the program will always have skeptics.

Expect the Hoos to go on a big run in the next couple of weeks. This team features three legit college stars in Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy and De’Andre Hunter. Remember, Hunter missed last season’s NCAA Tournament due to a wrist injury.