Virginia Basketball: Biggest Question Marks for Cavaliers in 2015-16
The Virginia Cavaliers are coming off the best two-year mark in school history, going 60-11—32-4 in ACC play—and winning 30 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. Yet, the Hoos met the same fate in each of those two seasons, falling to Michigan State in the NCAA tournament.
Head coach Tony Bennett has done a wonderful job rebuilding the Cavaliers back into a national power. Bennett's pack-line defense is annually among the stingiest in all of college basketball.
But something is keeping the Hoos from getting past the Sweet 16—well, besides Michigan State, of course.
Virginia's offense hasn't quite caught up with its defense. And doing so won't be any easier in 2015-16 with the loss of Justin Anderson to the NBA.
Fortunately for Virginia, senior Malcolm Brogdon, a two-time first-team All-ACC selection, returns. So does junior point guard London Perrantes.
But for the Cavaliers to finally get over the hump and advance beyond the Sweet 16 next year, some burning questions must be answered. Here are the four biggest questions facing Bennett and Virginia in the 2015-16 season.
Who Will Replace Justin Anderson?
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Replacing Anderson won't be easy, and it will be nearly impossible for one person to do so. Not only did Anderson improve in each of his three seasons in Charlottesville, he became a deadly three-point shooter in 2014-15, connecting on 45 percent of his attempts from downtown. Anderson was also a lockdown defender, capable of defending four positions.
However, Anderson's biggest contribution was his infectious energy. Any time a game was close, Anderson would dive for a loose ball, make a steal or slam down a highlight-reel dunk to spur a big Cavalier run. Now, who will Bennett count on to replace Anderson's energy, hustle and downright feisty play?
Virginia does have some options.
Sophomore Marial Shayok returns, and he played well at times last season. He struggled in the season's second half, but overall he did connect on 38 percent of his three-point attempts—good for second on the team. Shayok is also a solid defender, just not as athletic as Anderson.
Tennessee transfer Darius Thompson is eligible in 2015-16. The sophomore played in 37 games—starting 10—for the Volunteers two seasons ago. While he didn't make a big impact on the offensive end, the athletic wing was a terrific defender. He led the Vols in steals and was also second on the team in assists.
Per 247Sports, Thompson is a former 4-star recruit and can play both guard positions.
Can Darion Atkins Be Replaced?
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Much like Anderson, forward Darion Atkins will be tough to replace. In some ways, Virginia could have a tougher time replacing Atkins.
Atkins didn't score a lot of points, averaging less than eight points per game last season, but he made an impact in several areas. He was second on the team in rebounds, steals and led the team in blocked shots. He was continually assigned to the opposition's top low-post performer, winning the majority of those battles.
Duke's Jahlil Okafor scored just 10 points and did not get to the free-throw line one time in his meeting with Atkins. Louisville's Montrezl Harrell had only 12 points in UVa's first meeting with the Cardinals.
For his defensive dominance, Atkins was named the Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year and was also pegged as the ACC's top defensive performer.
Senior Anthony Gill, a standout offensive player, must continue to improve on the defensive end. He isn't as strong as Atkins, but he did show a lot of progress as a defender last season.
Sophomore Isaiah Wilkins flashed defensive potential last season, but he is not as big or strong as Atkins. He must have a strong offseason in Virginia's strength and conditioning program.
Redshirt freshman Jack Salt—a 6'10" New Zealand native—is a player to watch, as he plays with a chip on his shoulder, much like Atkins did during his time with the Hoos.
Can Mike Tobey Finally Put It All Together?
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Could the 2015-16 season be the year that Mike Tobey finally puts it all together and becomes an All-ACC performer?
Well, that's what followers of the Virginia program have been saying in each of the last two years. Unfortunately, it just hasn't happened for Tobey and the Cavaliers.
Last offseason, it was about Tobey getting stronger and becoming more aggressive on the offensive end. And while he did that, it just wasn't done frequently enough. Tobey would get on a roll, then either get into foul trouble or not demand the ball on offense. In the win over Louisville, Tobey scored nine points in the first seven minutes of the game, got into foul trouble and did not score again.
That's Tobey's career in a nutshell.
As a senior, Tobey must understand the balance between being aggressive and staying out of foul trouble. UVa struggled offensively last season when Anderson went down, and Tobey will be counted upon more heavily next season. If the Wahoos are going to make a run at a national championship, they need Tobey playing at a high level.
Can Virginia Become a Better Three-Point Shooting Team?
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Anderson was Virginia's top three-point shooter, hitting 47 of his 104 attempts from beyond the arc. Brogdon was second on the team, hitting 44 of his 128 attempts. Overall, Anderson was much more efficient than Brogdon, who shot just 34 percent from downtown.
Before last season, Brogdon was a 37 percent shooter from three-point range. A big part of Brogdon's problem was being UVa's only three-point threat once Anderson went down. Opponents would either double-team him or deny him the ball, leaving players like Perrantes and Evan Nolte open.
Shayok showed he could shoot the rock well from beyond 20 feet. He just needs more opportunities. Nolte must get better. He shot just 27 percent from three-point land on 76 attempts. Now a senior, Nolte could move into the starting lineup on a permanent basis if he shoots the ball better from long range.
Perrantes shot only 32 percent from beyond the arc, but he is always seemingly making the big shot. He must improve his efficiency if he is going to become one of the best overall point guards in the country.
A big reason for UVa's struggles on offense, particularly late in the season, was its failure to consistently score from long range. If the combination of Brogdon, Nolte, Perrantes and Shayok all take better advantage of their opportunities, 2015-16 could be the year for Virginia.
All stats courtesy of Sports Reference and NCAA.com.
Bryan Manning is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and you can follow him on Twitter @bdmanning4.
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