Game 11: UVA vs. Memphis

X (Twitter): @TreyKelleher3 (https://twitter.com/treykelleher3)

MEMPHIS, TN- UVA VS. (-3.5) MEMPHIS

"This won't be a fun film to watch, but there'll be a lot to certainly teach from." I'll take things i'd rather my coach say in December rather than in March for $1,000 please, Alex.

77-54. A rout in their first true road test of the season. The hoos failed this test worse than my two year old cousin would have failed a calculus final. Out coached, out played, and out hustled. Nobody seemed fully prepared to play this game for UVA.

Although it was only a two possession game at halftime, it never really felt that close at any point in the game. Memphis started the game on a 13-1 run and they forced UVA to play their style of fast-paced basketball from the get go.

UVA had 18 turnovers, shot below 40% from the field and only 21% from three. Penny Hardaway's team only had 12 turnovers, shot 46% from the field, and 39% from the line. Hardaway and Memphis somehow turned into The Monstars and played UVA's game better than UVA themselves.

If there is one bright spot from this game, its the rebounding. Memphis only grabbed six offensive rebounds to UVA's 11, Not bad considering Virginia is currently #213 in the nation in offense rebounds allowed per game at 9.3. The total rebounding between the two teams for the game was dead even at 32.

Where to go from here?

It's simple really. We know this team will continue to grow and improve throughout the year on the defensive side, that is a given with any Tony Bennett coached team. UVA has the chance to be a threat come March 1) if the offense becomes more consistent and 2) they grow a backbone.

Easier said than done and #2 may seem a little harsh, but in the two or three games UVA's opponents have forced them to feel uncomfortable they have completely folded and gotten embarrassed in two of them. They showed fight against West Virginia and Northeastern, sure, but they were supposed to win both of those games by double digits and somehow both of them came down to the wire. I am more so talking about the teams that 1) play a different style than UVA and 2) have the same, if not more talent than Virginia.

It is always great to see UVA have their way with opponents, forcing them to play "Bennett Ball," but the Virginia teams that have been great in the past have always been able to show some grit and adjust/adapt when teams impose their will and make UVA play a different style for a stretch of the game. I have not seen that with this squad and that has me very worried.

Tony Bennett is a great coach, obviously, but even he can't possibly force every single opponent to play his style of ball. He's pretty damn good at making most of them play that way, but the success rate will certainly be below 100%. This team needs to learn to adapt and grow a backbone when games are seemingly getting out of their control.

At the end of the day its only one game and this might just be an overreaction, hell I hope thats exactly what this is.

Here's to hoping the offense clicks, the leaders step up, and this team reaches their true potential.

Next Up: vs. Morgan State 12/27 @ JPJ