A Tony Bennett Moment: Virginia Wills Itself Past Gardner-Webb
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Ahead of the ceremony honoring Tony Bennett on February 8th, Virginia Cavaliers On SI is taking a look back at some of UVA basketball's best moments of the Tony Bennett era.
With Tony Bennett set to be honored on February 8th with a banner raising during halftime of the Georgia Tech game, we decided to start a series here at Virginia Cavaliers on SI, recapping a few of his most legendary moments. For the first article of this series, we dive into the Cavaliers' 2019 first-round win over Gardner-Webb. This win started with a scare but marked the persistence and belief that willed the University of Virginia to its first-ever men's basketball national championship.
Headed into this game, the previous year's defeat to No. 16 seed UMBC loomed large as if Virginia, who did the unthinkable in the 2018 tournament, would once again falter at the hands of a far lesser opponent. The common saying was, would lightning strike twice?
Reaching this game and moment was already an accomplishment coming together to earn a No. 1 seed once again with a 29-3 record.
Returning to the same stage that once shattered the Cavaliers a year prior was a testament to the leadership and belief Tony Bennett had instilled in his players and coaching staff during his tenure and headed into that opening-round matchup against Gardner-Webb.
Picking up the pieces, Bennett adequately dealt with the loss to UMBC by ensuring his players used the game as a lesson and fuel moving forward. The Hoos used this fire in the regular season, finishing in the top ten of Ken Pomeroy's offensive and defensive efficiency numbers, maximizing their potential.
In the opening press conference before the game, Bennett said, "I told our guys they're going to get so many questions about last year. And I said, here's the deal. You respect your opponent, you respect the game, you prepare well, and then you get yourself in the moment and go out and play."
But despite the energy channeled by the Cavaliers headed into this game, the start did not go as planned. Gardner-Webb's DJ Laster scored the first basket of the game after a missed three by Kyle Guy on Virginia's opening possession. De'Andre Hunter responded with an emphatic dunk. but the Runnin' Bulldogs were unfazed as they fired back with another bucket, refusing to give Virginia the lead.
Feeling a sense of momentum, Gardner-Webb maintained the lead and slowly built its advantage as Virginia suffered multiple scoring droughts, including starting the game 0/3 from the three-point arc. Before long, a slight lead grew to 10 with a three from Jose Perez, and not much longer after that, the Bulldogs led the Cavaliers 30-16 with 6:42 left in the first half.
And as Laster and Perez continued to score for the Bulldogs, it was impossible not to think history was repeating itself. But after a layup by Laster extended the lead to 14, Kyle Guy drilled Virginia's first three of the game.
The three sparked an 8-0 run as the Cavaliers defense awoke, locking down the Bulldogs. By halftime, Virginia cut the once daunting Gardner-Webb lead to six.
At halftime, Kyle Guy said Bennett told the team, "Don't forget we have experience that they don't and that it doesn't end like this," Ty Jerome described Bennett as having a sense of calmness that inspired the team.
In the postgame press conference, Bennett recalls telling his players, "Don't panic but play with fight."
Minutes into the second half, Jerome fed De'Andre Hunter on the inside, who slammed the ball home to bring the Bulldogs' lead to two. Still, the dunk had done more than that, bringing about a fire in the Virginia team that drove them to victory, playing with the fight and composure Bennett told them they were capable of.
Hunter's dunk was part of a 22-5 run that started the second half and propelled the Cavaliers to victory, silencing their demons on their first step to the top of the mountain. At the buzzer, Virginia defeated Gardner-Webb 71-56. The Cavaliers finished the game with ten steals, a mark of Virginia defense's under Tony Bennett that terrorized opponents.
This victory was a testament to Tony Bennett's leadership and belief in his staff and the players he recruited to be part of the Virginia men's basketball family. After the game, Bennett also credited and showed respect for his opponent, a mark of his sportsmanship and class.
From his five pillars, the win over Gardner-Webb represented unity, to stick together and not fracture when times get tough, and thankfulness, rather than ignoring the UMBC loss, embracing and channeling it to propel themselves forward to new heights.
Bennett on hardships: "You certainly feel things and things bother you, but where does peace and perspective come from? I always tell our guys, it has to be something unconditional. I know I have that in the love of my family. And I know I have that in my faith." πΆβοΈπ· #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/8kdDivLeRC
β Virginia Men's Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) March 21, 2019
Other stories in our series on Tony Bennett's best moments at Virginia
A Tony Bennett Moment: Reece Beekman's Buzzer Beater vs Syracuse
A Tony Bennett Moment: Virginia Captures the Main Event Title in Las Vegas
A Tony Bennett Moment: Beekman Takes Down Duke at the Buzzer in Cameron