Davon Reed leads Miami past Virginia 64-61 - SCACCHoops.com

Davon Reed leads Miami past Virginia 64-61

by UniversityBall.org

Posted: 2/23/2016 9:55:36 AM


Game Central

Game Recap

First off, there’s no shame in losing to Miami in Miami. The Hurricanes are worthy of their top-15 ranking and are undefeated in eight home ACC games this season. If you have to lose a game, that’s a game you can lose and not feel terrible about yourself afterward. The loss cripples our ACC regular season title chances, but while I’d rather win it than not win it, regular season titles feel like hollow triumphs. We’ve got other things to worry about.

This was a weird game. I liked both our energy and how the ball moved in the first half, but no one could make a shot: players other than Malc shot six of 21, and the team as a whole came in at 33%. We managed just 25 points after a late flurry by Brogs and trailed by a manageable-feeling five at the break.

Malcolm’s second half performance was another piece of flair on his ACC Player of the Year vest. He took over, making eight of nine shots and scoring 17 second half points, repeatedly going to the well for the same elbow fadeaway. Unfortunately, no one else had it going. Anthony Gill attempted one shot in the second half. London shot 2-7 for the half and 3-11 for the game. Devon and Marial were almost invisible on offense, combining for three points (1-6 shooting) in 34 minutes. Mike Tobey, who provided a spark against the ‘Canes in our first meeting, blew three chip shots and missed two free throws in a tortuous second half. There was no one else that we could depend on for offense: guys not named Malcolm shot 13-40 for the game and missed eight of their nine threes.

AG has become a legitimate concern, as his offense is all kinds of broken. He hasn’t stopped hustling or contributing elsewhere — he ran down six offensive boards and blocked four shots last night, for example — but Anthony Gill is one of the stars of this team, not a role player we depend on to fill up the hustle categories. We need to be able to count on him for 14-18 points per game if we’re going to make a run next month, and it’s not happening now. It feels like defenders — and Plumlee in the Duke game and Jekiri last night are two examples — are sagging off of him on the catch to dare him to shoot a 10-12 foot jumper. Gill has let the game-speed version of that shot — serviceable when he arrived in Charlottesville – atrophy to the extent that it looks mechanical and forced when he takes it, so he doesn’t, choosing instead to spin into contact where he’s a.) not getting the friendly whistles he’s used to and b.) is struggling to finish over bigger guys, who he’s seeing more frequently with teams going progressively smaller and no Darion Atkins or Mike Tobey riding shotgun. In six games this February, AG is scoring nine points per game, shooting 40% (20-50) from the floor, and has attempted just 19 free throws. That’s not peak Gill.

I’m not as concerned about London Perrantes — he took 11 shots last night, so he was involved, though many of those came late — but he’s scored in double figures just twice in our last eight games. Most of those were wins where he was content to check himself out of the offense and serve a custodial role, but I question if that’s the best strategy for him, as turning the intensity on and off seems like a recipe for danger later on.

What I’m getting at is that Malc has scored 128 of our 388 points over our last six games — 33%. He’s been wonderful, the winning streak was fun, and this has been one of the best if not the best individual stretch of offensive basketball I can remember a Virginia player putting together, but I question how far it can take us. Malcolm has scored 28 points three times this season, and we’ve looked so-so on offense at best in losing two of them. When he scored 27, it was almost half of our output in a win over a hapless Boston College team. We’re trending toward going only as far as Malcolm can carry us, and while Malc is great, I’m not sure that I’m entirely comfortable with that.

After all of that offense talk, our defense may have been the turning point last night. Miami’s a very good offensive team, and their rim-running offense got to the cup when they needed to. The threes look prominent in the stat line (Miami made 10 of 19 and outscored us 30-15 from behind the arc), but I don’t hate that number so much. Miami was just on fire: Davon Reed is a so-so shooter who had a great game, and their looks from outside weren’t shots I hated. What I liked less — and Malcolm mentioned it postgame — is how Miami’s guards had no issue getting a foot or two into the paint, especially in the second half. This Virginia team’s success begins inside on both ends of the court, and we were beaten there last night.

Finally, Isaiah Wilkins was hurt — potentially concussed? — after taking a knee to the back of the head with five minutes left. Head injuries are scary and often linger, so here’s hopefully this wasn’t as severe as it appears and Isaiah is fine and can return to action sooner rather than later. We need him, especially with Evan Nolte also potentially missing time with a foot injury.

The University of North Carolina is up next. Perhaps you’ve heard of them.

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