The Cavaliers limped to a 16-15 record last season, with a 7-9 ACC mark, but return four starters and a healthy lineup as they gear up for the 2011-2012 season.
The key to this year’s team will be the return of senior Mike Scott, who was one of top forwards in the conference last year before an injury sidelined him for 21 of his team’s final 22 games. In the ten games he did play, he averaged a double-double with 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest.
Scott is joined in the Cavalier frontcourt by 7-foot Senegalese center Assane Sene, who led the team with 39 blocks despite contributing little on offense. With his size and raw skill set, he could blossom into more of a scoring threat as a senior.
But with the graduation of last year’s leading scorer Mustapha Farrakhan, the biggest questions for Virginia arise in the backcourt. This year, their guard play will be led by sophomores Joe Harris and KT Harrell, both of whom gained significant experience in their freshman seasons.
Harris started 25 games in his first collegiate season and nailed a team high 2.1 treys per game. Harrell only started half of the team’s games, but arguably possesses more raw talent than anyone else on the roster. He finished the year fourth on the team in scoring and should see an increased role with Farrakhan out of the picture.
The Cavaliers’ one early-season test will come when they play host to No. 18 Michigan. Other than that, they play a relatively light schedule of opponents and if they can take care of the games they are supposed to, they should be a major bounceback threat in this year’s ACC.
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