Game 7: UVA vs. Texas A&M

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

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA- UVA (-2.5) VS. Texas A&M

That's the UVA basketball we all know and love! Suffocating defense from start to finish and efficient offense for most of the game. A 59-47 final in favor of the Hoos on a night in Charlottesville where everything felt right. The atmosphere was electric, the student section was loud, and UVA controlled the pace all night forcing Texas A&M to slow down and be uncomfortable.

Tony Bennett did not get much production from his bench, but all five of his starters scored in double figures. Andrew Rhode lead the Hoos with 13, while Jacob Groves, Reece Beekman, and Ryan Dunn followed right behind him with 12 of their own. Isaac McKneely added 10 points and of those ten were two big three pointers at the start of the game to really set the tone.

The Aggies entered this game as the #14 team in the country with a top-10 offense but left JPJ wondering which way was up as UVA's defense didn't give them any room to think or breathe.

Wade Taylor IV, A&M's top scorer and "the best guard in the country" was CLAMPED by one of if not THE best defender in the country in Reece Beekman. Taylor was held to a season low 9 points, shot 2-10 from the field, and 1-6 from behind the arc.

Play of the Game: The ball movement is enough to make a grown man cry and the athleticism shown by Ryan Dunn at the rim was enough to get everyone on their feet. Everything about this play exhibits the greatest form of poetry in motion. Watch it, watch it again, and then watch it 100 more times and you may get close to the amount of times I've watched it.

Player of the Game: I'm going to go with Ryan Dunn here. 12 points, 5 rebounds, 5 blocks and 3 steals. That stat line sent the multiple NBA scouts that were in attendance home with plenty to chew on. Dunn also became the only men's college basketball player in the past 10 years to have 20 blocks and 20 steals through 7 games (Credit to @DNeckel19 for this nugget).

Final Thoughts: The rebounding is still an issue with this team and it will most likely be one for the remainder of the season. Texas A&M grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and outrebounded UVA 42-30. At this point, I don't think there is much of an escape from this problem, but the key will be to LIMIT the offensive rebounds and second chance points.

UVA found something with this starting lineup and got some key minutes off the bench from Leon Bond and Elijah Gertrude. The eight man rotation between Reece Beekman, Andrew Rhode, Ryan Dunn, Isaac McKneely, Jacob Groves, Blake Buchanan, Elijah Gertrude Leon Bond could be the answer for this Virginia team that had a very questionable two game stretch in Fort Myers.

After their most impressive performance of the season, Virginia improves to 6-1 on the season and a date with Syracuse awaits on Saturday.

Go Hoos!