Virginia Basketball: 5 Burning Questions for Remainder of Cavaliers' Season

The Virginia Cavaliers survived perhaps their biggest scare of the season on Sunday, defeating in-state rival Virginia Tech, 50-47. The win improved the second-ranked Cavaliers to 19-0 (7-0 in the ACC) on the season.

A late 12-0 run by the Hoos—spearheaded by guard Justin Anderson—was enough to keep Virginia undefeated.

Was this game a warning sign for the Hoos ahead of next week's gauntlet or did Virginia truly overlook its less talented rival?

The Cavaliers don't take the court again until Saturday, but it's a big one. The Duke Blue Devils come to town in a game UVA desperately wants to win to continue its reign atop the ACC.

Just two days later, the Hoos travel down to Chapel Hill to face the North Carolina Tar Heels before returning back to Charlottesville to host Louisville on February 7.

Here are five burning questions for the Cavaliers for the remainder of the 2014-15 season.

Can the Hoos Survive the Gauntlet?

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Duke's Jahlil Okafor

Next week's schedule will be as tough as it gets for Virginia. We are about to see how good Virginia is.

We know the Cavaliers are very good, but this upcoming three-game stretch against Duke, UNC and Louisville will show everyone what UVA is made of.

Fortunately for the Hoos, two out of three games are in Charlottesville. A trip to UNC to face the 15th-ranked Tar Heels will present quite the challenge for the Cavaliers. The Heels like to push the tempo on offense, while the Cavs like to slow it down.

This stretch will not make or break Virginia, but if the Hoos can come out of this gauntlet with two victories, that'd be huge.

Duke, North Carolina and Louisville are Virginia's biggest competition for ACC supremacy in 2015.

Will Virginia Avoid the Upset?

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Justin Anderson in the win over Virginia Tech

For most of this season, the Cavaliers have dominated the opposition. UVA has won 16 of its 19 games by double figures.

However, Miami took Virginia to double overtime and Virginia Tech became the first team to take the Hoos down to the final seconds.

The ACC is a rugged league full of very good teams. If a team such as Virginia Tech, which has little depth and is winless in ACC play, can take the league's top team down to the wire, anything can happen.

In mid-February, Virginia faces a three-game slate of N.C. State, Wake Forest and Pitt. All three teams, especially the Wolfpack, are capable of surprising the Cavaliers.

Can Virginia Go Undefeated?

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Tony Bennett

Virginia is good—very good—but going undefeated in college basketball is virtually impossible. Indiana, back in 1976, was the last team to finish the entire season undefeated.

It's likely the Hoos will suffer a loss or two in conference play. Fortunately for head coach Tony Bennett, Virginia only has to play Duke and UNC once in the regular season. The Cavaliers do have to play Louisville twice, including the regular-season finale on the road.

For Bennett, he'd prefer that first loss come in February than, say, March or April.

Will Virginia Have a 1st-Team All-ACC Performer?

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Malcolm Brogdon

Junior guard Malcolm Brogdon made the All-ACC first team last season. Brogdon didn't have gaudy stats, but he was very good across the board and the best player on the conference's best team.

This season, Brogdon's numbers are very similar to last season's. He's averaging almost two more points per game, although his rebounding and steals are down. Brogdon could be a candidate for second-team All-ACC.

Justin Anderson is the player who belongs on the all-conference first team.

When UVA needs a big shot, Anderson steps up. In close games against Miami and Virginia Tech, Anderson is the player who took—and made—big three-point shots down the stretch to keep the Hoos in the ranks of the undefeated.

He also leads Virginia in scoring and is shooting a remarkable 53 percent from three-point range. If Anderson finishes the season the way he's started it, he will be an easily selection for first-team All-ACC.

Can Virginia Win the National Championship?

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Virginia after last season's ACC Championship win

The Cavaliers are the nation's best defensive team and are capable of shutting any player or team down. UVA currently leads the nation in scoring defense and has held three opponents under 30 points this season.

And remember the saying, "Defense wins championships"?

So, yes, Virginia can win a national title. Of course, UVA would likely have to go through Kentucky, the nation's only other undefeated team. The teams are built differently. UVA plays a team-first, no-superstar brand of basketball, while the Wildcats are two-deep in McDonald's All-Americans.

Of course, Virginia must get through its ACC schedule before thinking about the NCAA tournament. However, the Cavaliers have as good of a chance as anyone to walk out of Indianapolis as the kings of college hoops.