Can Virginia Avenge the Most Embarrassing Loss in March Madness History?

Virginia knows it's coming.

All season long, Tony Bennett's team has understood what's about to happen.

No matter how the Cavaliers performed in 2018-19, no matter if they won another ACC title, they knew. The most exciting time of the college basketball season will also be exasperating.

March Madness previews and highlight reels will prominently feature the program for its stunning loss to UMBC last season. Never before had a No. 1 seed lost to a No. 16 seed in the NCAA tournament, and it wasn't even close at 74-54. Everywhere they turn, the Wahoos will be reminded of it.

Virginia cannot fully silence the conversations; UMBC accomplished something historic, and the dramatic upset encapsulated why viewers―whether diehard fans, casual supporters or people who annually emerge in March to enjoy the exciting tournament―are so attracted to the Big Dance.

But the ACC club also understands the only way to muffle the impending noise.

Win.

Steve Helber/Associated Press

As usual, few schools are better positioned to do exactly that in March. Entering its regular-season finale, Virginia holds a 27-2 record. With a victory over Louisville, the Hoos would earn their fourth regular-season ACC crown in the last six campaigns.

As usual, the Bennett-led roster showcases lethal efficiency on offense and defense alike while playing at a deliberate pace. According to KenPom.com, it ranks second nationally on both ends and features the slowest tempo of all 353 teams.

As usual, Virginia is headed toward a top-two NCAA tournament seed. Provided that happens, the Wahoos would position themselves at either No. 1 or No. 2 for the fifth time in six seasons.

During this stretch, however, the regular-season powerhouse has only advanced past the Sweet 16 once. It happened back in 2015-16, when Malcolm Brogdon won ACC Player of the Year and UVA boosted its scoring average to an uncharacteristic 80.7 points over the three tournament wins.

So, what's new? Why will 2019 be any different?

Skepticism is reasonable. After all, we're on record "selling" the Cavs as national champions. Virginia's style creates the mathematical challenge of thriving in limited possessions. The excellence so evident during the regular season can be washed away with one bad March performance. Memorable upsets happen when outliers emerge and trends aren't matched.

Still, it's a fair question. The answer just isn't straightforward because personal feelings shape the response.

What qualifies as different? What do you feel "avenges" the UMBC loss?

To some, it could be as simple as exorcising a first-round demon. For others, there's no way to truly overcome a letdown other than celebrating the greatest triumph―a la when Villanova finally survived the opening weekend and won a national title, which Jay Wright's club has done twice in the last three seasons.

Then, consider the answer between those extremes. Even if Virginia doesn't win it all, the team could break a trend and become a positive exception.

Despite all the achievements of Bennett's 10-year tenure, the program has only reached the Sweet 16 twice and Elite Eight once. Again, answers to the original question may vary, yet history says an Elite Eight appearance is a noteworthy accomplishment.

And that's fully within reason for the 2018-19 team.

When the Hoos made the regional final in 2015-16, they shot 40.2 percent from three―then the highest mark of the Bennett era―while hitting 6.1 trifectas per game. This year, Virginia boasts a 41.4 percent clip while averaging 8.4 made threes.

Bennett's past teams have never showcased this combination of high efficiency and depth on the perimeter, either. Kyle Guy, De'Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome combine to attempt 14.3 threes per game and connect at a 45.2 percent rate.

The trio put its collective firepower on display during a 79-53 rout of Syracuse on March 4, shooting 18-of-23 from long range. After the game, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim had high praise for UVA.

If this is Bennett's best team, shouldn't the measurement of success be whether Virginia wins it all, not whether it advances to the Elite Eight? After all, a program of this stature always eyes a national title.

Realistically, that's only the case if your personal preference is a championship-or-bust outlook—a method that labels one team as successful and 352 as failures. While a justifiable approach, it removes all nuance and refuses to account for history.

From our perspective, making the Elite Eight would be a satisfactory recovery from 2018's loss to UMBC. Anything less would be a continuation of a disappointing trend.

But if the Cavaliers can maneuver past the Sweet 16, they'll be on the brink of a Final Four appearance—something no Bennett-led team has achieved.

Statistics courtesy of KenPom.com or Sports Reference, unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter, @Kenyon19_BR.