NCAA Basketball: Updated early top-25 power rankings for 2020-21 season
. . Cavaliers . 3. team. 446.
NCAA Basketball power rankings – Virginia Cavaliers
It was supposed to be a “rebuilding” effort of sorts for the Cavaliers, who were defending their national championship. After a rough start to the season, winning 11 of the final 12 games of the regular season. They’ll have to replace both Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key but return everyone else while adding a few new pieces.
Marquette transfer forward Sam Hauser is coming off a redshirt season and will be able to provide the kind of offense needed for Virginia to succeed at a Final Four level. Senior center Jay Huff will once again be the anchor of the defense, while former top-100 forward prospect Kadin Shedrick will provide depth after redshirting voluntarily.
The perimeter is also going to be in great shape, thanks to the return of point guard Kihei Clark and sharpshooting wing Thomas Woldetensae. There are also high hopes for Casey Morsell to have a breakout sophomore campaign, while top-40 freshman wing Jabri Abdur-Rahim should have an impact next season as well. Four-star guard Reece Beckman and Kody Stattmann are also projected rotation players, giving a little more depth for head coach Tony Bennett to work with.
Considering how the system remains elite regardless of the players involved, the odds are great that Virginia will have another top-5 defensive unit in 2020-21. If the offense can be near the level of the title-winning Cavalier squad, the ACC will run through Charlottesville.