NCAA Basketball: Takeaways from Virginia’s surprise Continental Tire title win
Key takeaways from 1st Place Virginia Cavaliers
Armaan Franklin’s big bounce-back campaign
Last season, Franklin was a starter on the wing after transferring from Indiana but he was arguably the worst among the five in terms of production. But in year two, the 5th-year senior has been the unquestioned best player, averaging around 16 ppg and shooting over 40% from three-point range. He had a game-high 26 points on 7/12 shooting in the upset win over Baylor and has taken the scoring load for the Cavaliers. If this continues, the team won’t have to worry about points this year.
Jayden Gardner has been quiet so far
The 5th-year senior forward led Virginia in scoring last season at 15.3 ppg and was on the All-ACC team. So far, he’s putting up around 7.0 ppg in under 20 mpg. A big part of it has to do with the arrival of Ben Vander Plas but it’s still surprising to see Gardner not be a bigger part of the offense. He had just seven points against Baylor but did have 12 on 3/5 shooting versus Virginia on Sunday. The emergence of others will cut into his numbers but Gardner is still a vital piece for the Cavaliers.
Ben Vander Plas has been an effective newcomer
The 6’8 transfer forward from Ohio had a reputation for doing a little bit of everything and although he’s coming off the bench now, has been huge for the team. Vander Plas had 14 points and two made three-pointers in the win over Baylor, followed by eight points and 10 rebounds against Illinois and their bigs.
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The versatility that he offers has been exactly what this team has needed and so far has become the clear favorite for ACC 6th Man of the Year. And while he’s not currently starting, the team has been and will keep giving him starters minutes.