Virginia Basketball: Cavaliers' 5 Biggest Concerns in ACC Play

The Virginia Cavaliers ended another impressive week with a big 62-56 win at then-No. 12 Notre Dame on Saturday. On Monday, the Cavaliers moved up to No. 2 in the Top 25 and even received a pair of votes for No. 1.

There's no team in the country playing better basketball right now than the Cavaliers. The Hoos have a trio of road victories that should make other teams envious. Wins at Maryland, VCU and Notre Dame put UVa in a very good position come tournament time. 

But the NCAA tournament is still two months away. Virginia must survive the rugged ACC before worrying about where the team will be seeded in March. 

Here are UVa's five biggest concerns throughout the rest of their ACC schedule in 2015.

Three-Point Defense

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NC State's Ralston Turner hits a three-pointer against Virginia

It's tough to argue against anything Virginia is doing right now, especially on defense. However, one aspect of the defense must improve or the Hoos will be ripe for an upset. 

In UVa's three conference games thus far, opponents have hit 10, nine and nine three-pointers, respectively. 

That will get them beat against Duke, UNC or Louisville. 

It's important to note that the point of Virginia's pack-line defense is to limit opponents' scoring opportunities inside the paint, theoretically creating open shots from three-point range. The Cavaliers, though, have sometimes been too slow to get a hand in the shooter's face, leading to open looks. 

UVa must improve in defending the three-point line.

Rebounding

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Virginia center Mike Tobey battling for a rebound

The Cavaliers are a fundamentally sound basketball team. Not only do they play terrific defense, but the Hoos also rebound well on both sides of the court, too.

However, in two of three ACC games this season, Virginia was outrebounded. It's no coincidence that Miami and Notre Dame—Virginia's toughest opponents thus far—outrebounded them. Both the Hurricanes and the Fighting Irish dominated the offensive glass against UVa. 

Despite that, the Cavaliers are still No. 3 in the nation in rebounding margin. That's pretty impressive. 

Things will only get tougher for the Cavaliers. The Hoos haven't faced a legitimate big man yet, but they will when they face Louisville and Duke. Mike Tobey, Anthony Gill and Darion Atkins must be up to the challenge.

Schedule

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Duke

Beginning January 31, Virginia will face its biggest test of the season. A three-game stretch begins with a big home game against Duke, then a trip to Chapel Hill to face the Tar Heels before returning home to host Louisville. That's as brutal of a three-game stretch as you'll see in college basketball.

And those three games take place within seven days.

The best part of that three-game stretch is that two of those games take place in Charlottesville. The Hoos must win the games at John Paul Jones Arena if they expect to repeat as ACC champions.

Being the Top Dog

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Virginia head coach Tony Bennett

Virginia ran through the ACC with a 16-2 mark last season before winning the ACC tournament. That's as dominant of a run as you'll find in recent league history. 

That also means you're the team that everyone wants to beat. 

That's a good thing for Virginia, though. For years, it was always Duke and North Carolina. And, especially in Duke's case, it still is. Beating the Blue Devils is often the highlight of a team's season. Right now, Virginia is that team, too. 

It's a good thing that Virginia coach Tony Bennett is not a complacent guy. He always has the Cavaliers prepared, regardless of the opponent. 

With Virginia still undefeated, some of the lesser teams in the league will want to be the team that hands the Hoos their first loss.

Can Mike Tobey Become a Reliable Scorer?

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Mike Tobey

Virginia center Mike Tobey was solid for the Cavaliers during his first two seasons on campus. The 7-footer showed glimpses of dominance, but he frustrated coaches with his defense and a lack of aggression on the offensive end.

For UVa to compete for a national title, the Cavaliers need Tobey to develop into the type of big man that takes over games. 

Tobey has played well this season. He's come off the bench for much of the season, averaging nine points and seven rebounds per game. In ACC play, he's averaging 11 points per game. However, against Notre Dame, Tobey played just 16 minutes. The Cavs need him on the floor more than that. 

Virginia knows what it will get from players like Malcolm Brogdon, Justin Anderson, Anthony Gill and London Perrantes. Now, Bennett needs his talented big man to start dominating games around the basket, drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line. 

If Tobey can do that, Virginia will be tough for anyone—including Kentucky—to beat.