Virginia Basketball: 5 Burning Questions for Cavaliers in 2014-15

In just over one week, the Virginia Cavaliers will open the 2014-15 basketball season with a trip down the road to James Madison.

The Cavaliers, coming off a 30-win season, haven't had expectations this high since Ralph Sampson was on campus in the early '80s. 

Is Virginia ready to compete with Duke and North Carolina on an annual basis on the hardwood?

Here are five burning questions Virginia head coach Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers must answer in the 2014-15 season. 

Will London Perrantes Start the Season?

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London Perrantes

Sophomore point guard London Perrantes injured his foot just before the official start of practice in early October. According to head coach Tony Bennett, per Whitey Reid of The Daily Progress, Perrantes just "jarred" his foot.

While it may not sound significant, it has kept Perrantes out of practice for several weeks. 

But is it enough to keep Perrantes off the floor in next week's season opener?

Per Reid, Bennett doesn't appear too worried about the injury. “Obviously, he’s a pretty important piece to the team,” Bennett said, “but in some ways that’s been good because it’s forced guys to take bigger roles.”

Foot injuries can be tricky. Remember, Malcolm Brogdon's foot injury two years ago kept him sidelined for the entire season. While Perrantes' injury doesn't appear as serious, it does bear monitoring.

Redshirt freshman Devon Hall could be in for a bigger role, at least early in the season. 

Who Will Replace Joe Harris as UVA's Go-to Guy?

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Malcolm Brogdon

While Joe Harris didn't lead Virginia in scoring in 2013-14, he was often UVA's go-to guy when the team needed a big bucket.

A former All-ACC player, Harris is gone and leaves a major void.

But the Cavaliers are more than equipped to deal with Harris' departure.

Junior Malcolm Brogdon, UVA's leading scorer last year, was the Cavaliers' best overall player last season. It resulted in a first-team All-ACC selection for Brogdon. 

Can he repeat that type of performance with defenders keying on him? Last year, Harris was often the target of opposing defenses.

Brogdon will be a marked man this season, and how he responds will likely determine how good Virginia will be in 2014-15. 

Is Darion Atkins Ready for a Bigger Role?

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GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 16: Darion Atkins #32 of the Virginia Cavaliers fouls Jabari Parker #1 of the Duke Blue Devils as he goes up for a shot during the finals of the 2014 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 16, 2014 in Green

Darion Atkins enters this season as Virginia's lone senior scholarship player. In previous seasons, Atkins hasn't done much. But in fairness to him, he was behind Akil Mitchell, one of the more underrated players in the ACC over the last two seasons.

Now that Mitchell is gone, more will be expected of the 6'8", 241-pound Atkins. 

In his sophomore season, Atkins played in 26 games, starting 12. He didn't score much but provided solid defense. Atkins' long arms and wingspan make him an ideal shot-blocker. 

Anthony Gill will likely take Mitchell's place in the starting lineup, and rightfully so. Gill is a good scorer and gets to the free-throw line often. However, he is not as strong of a defensive player as Atkins is.

Atkins' defensive ability will help him get on the court more. Is he ready for the expanded role?

Will the Cavaliers Be Undefeated When ACC Play Begins?

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Tony Bennett

The Hoos open up their ACC schedule on January 3 when they travel to Miami to face the Hurricanes. What will Virginia's record be when it opens ACC play?

November should be rather easy for UVA. The Cavaliers' toughest test in the opening month will be a home game against George Washington. The Colonials did make their first NCAA tournament since 2007 last season, but the Cavs shouldn't have too much trouble disposing of GW.

Things get interesting, though, when December opens up. The Cavaliers will face old rival Maryland in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Maryland gave Virginia one of its two conference losses last year. 

From there, Virginia travels to VCU—which beat UVA last season—and hosts Harvard and Davidson. Harvard has won four straight Ivy League titles.

All Virginia's December games are winnable. However, last December was a month Bennett would like to forget. UVA scored 38 points in a loss to Wisconsin, then lost a game to Bennett's alma mater, Green Bay, before one of the more embarrassing losses in school history, an 87-52 defeat at Tennessee. 

Can the Cavs avoid another disappointing December?

Can Virginia Repeat as ACC Champs?

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Last year was a dream season for the Virginia Cavaliers. The Hoos were, far and away, the ACC's top team. By dominating conference play with a 16-2 record and winning the ACC tournament, Virginia proved it was the best team.

But since Duke, North Carolina or ACC newcomer Syracuse didn't win the ACC title, many felt it was a down year for the league.

That may or may not be true. All three teams were very good last season, just maybe not as good as college basketball fans are accustomed to. 

Duke and UNC both should be among the nation's elite again this season. Add Louisville to the mix, and Virginia will have its hands full. Repeating as ACC champs will be difficult, but Virginia has the depth, talent and system to compete for the conference title on an annual basis.