Virginia vs. Auburn: 5 key storylines in Final Four matchup
4. Virginia’s Mamadi Diakite is having a breakout tournament
Guy and Jerome shoot the three balls and have the rock in their hands during crunch time, De’Andre Hunter is Virginia’s best NBA prospect and a possible lottery pick, but the player I, and most, probably consider their glue guy and an unsung hero is junior forward Mamadi Diakite. The native of Guinea found his way to Charlottesville by way of the Blue Ridge School in St. George, Virginia.
Once arriving on campus, Diakite redshirted his freshman season, over his next two seasons he saw limited minutes and averaged just 3.8 and 5.4 points in those seasons. This year, the 6-9 forward has seen his role increase to over 21 minutes per game and is the team’s fourth-leading scorer with 7.5 per game. He also pulls down over four rebounds and is the Cavaliers’ leading shooter (minimum 100 attempts), knocking down 55% of his shots.
During the run to the Final Four, Diakite’s star has shined as brightly as it has all season. Over the last four games, he has averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, and provided superior interior defense, swatting 2.25 shots per game. While there are other guys that may get more recognition, Diakite is the one who does all the dirty work, and he is the one to watch for Virginia in this game.