Virginia Basketball: Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios for Rest of Cavaliers' Season

The Virginia Cavaliers improved to 25-1 (13-1) with Sunday's gritty—and costly—victory over Florida State. In the win, guards London Perrantes and Malcolm Brogdon had a bloody collision that knocked Perrantes out of the game. Brogdon returned to the game and needed three stitches above his right eye afterward.

Unfortunately for UVa, there's a quick turnaround, as the Hoos head to Winston-Salem on Wednesday to face a Wake Forest team that almost beat them in Charlottesville Feb. 14. 

Will Perrantes be able to play? That's a question head coach Tony Bennett doesn't have an answer to at the moment. Bennett said Perrantes was scheduled to see a doctor Monday afternoon and go through the proper concussion protocol after that, per Mike Barber of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. 

“We’ll have an update after that, how he stands,” Bennett said.

With only four games remaining in the regular season, the Cavaliers are facing yet another round of adversity. How they respond will likely determine what happens in March.

What's the best-case scenario for Virginia for the remainder of the season? What about the worst-case scenario?

Best-Case Scenario: Virginia Wins out in the Regular Season

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Virginia celebrates a last-second win over Wake Forest in Charlottesville on February 14

Before Justin Anderson went down, Virginia winning out after the loss against Duke seemed conceivable. Then, with gritty wins over Louisville, Wake Forest, NC State and Pitt, the Cavaliers looked poised for the top seed in the ACC tournament.

Then Perrantes went down.

It's tough to know how much—if any—time Perrantes will miss. The best part about the Hoos is that they're not a one-man show. Brogdon is still healthy, while Anthony Gill and Mike Tobey have shown signs of dominance this season. 

UVa finds ways to win. Why would anyone expect anything different now? Bennett has built a strong program centered around outstanding team defense.

The best-case scenario for the Hoos is to win out and erase any doubts about who the top team in the ACC—and potentially the country—is. If Virginia can win without Anderson and Perrantes for any stretch of time, the sky is the limit for the Cavaliers this March. 

Best-Case Scenario: Justin Anderson Returns for ACC Tournament

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Justin Anderson

Virginia's quest for a second straight ACC title hinges heavily on the health of Justin Anderson. 

The star guard went down on Feb. 7 with a broken finger on his shooting hand and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks. That timeline puts him returning any time from the beginning of the ACC tournament to the second round of the NCAA tournament. 

The Cavaliers need Anderson to return for the ACC tourney and bring back his outstanding shooting, energy and stifling defense before making a run at an NCAA title.

We haven't received any updates on Anderson's health, but odds are he'll return in time for the ACC tournament.

That's Virginia's hope, too. 

Worst-Case Scenario: Virginia Suffers Another Major Injury

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Virginia point guard London Perrantes after a collision with teammate Malcolm Brogdon in the win over Florida State

The Cavaliers potentially dodged a bullet in Sunday's home win over Florida State. Perrantes and Brogdon could've both been hurt more seriously. Brogdon returned to the game and helped seal the win for UVa.

Perrantes, though, could have a broken nose. That would not prevent him from playing, but how would playing with a mask affect his game? Players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have worn masks while playing, and their individual games did not suffer. Perrantes should be OK, but there is that unknown.

This team cannot afford another injury. If Brogdon or Gill were to go down—Virginia's other stars—UVa's season would likely come to a screeching halt. 

Worst-Case Scenario: Anderson Struggles Upon Return

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Malcolm Brogdon and Anderson

What if Anderson returns and he can't find his shot? That's an issue Virginia could face. After all, it was Anderson's shooting hand that suffered the injury.

The upside to Anderson is that he brings more to the game than just shooting the basketball. He's UVa's best on-ball defender and plays with insane energy that invigorates the entire team. 

But UVa needs someone to step up and hit jump shots to end the lengthy scoring droughts that's plagued the Cavaliers in recent games. Evan Nolte has tried and failed. Brogdon hasn't shot the ball well in recent weeks. 

Anderson returning and struggling to knock down open jumpers is the worst-case scenario for a Virginia team hoping to win a national title.