Fans of the Virginia Cavaliers will always be grateful for their 2019 national championship. But as the years fade, UVA fans are becoming increasingly impatient with coach Tony Bennett’s defense-only approach. After coming off their epic national championship run in the 2018-19 season, the Virginia Cavaliers lost most of their key personnel from that team. Since then, the Cavaliers have had a hard time. Virginia has not been nearly as good since that dream season. In like manner, gamblers are running out of patience with the lack of College basketball betting profits on the board.
2023-24 Virginia Cavaliers Basketball Preview
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2023-24 Virginia Basketball Outlook
Indeed, Virginia has always been a one-dimensional and defensive-oriented team under Bennett. And it is not always pretty to watch. It was okay when the Cavaliers won the national championship. These days, the online betting style is ripped as a liability.
Virginia encountered an almost unprecedented level of roster turnover this NCAABB betting offseason. In sum, seven scholarship players exited the program due to graduation, the NBA Draft, or the transfer portal. Eight new scholarship players are coming in. Including four from the portal and four freshmen.
However, the biggest event of the offseason was the return of Reece Beekman. He declared for the NBA Draft and participated in the Draft Combine and a few private workouts with NBA teams. Yet he ultimately decided to return to Virginia for his senior season. With Beekman returning, the Cavaliers got back their leader. He is their most experienced player and their best defender. Finally, he is a breakout superstar on both ends of the floor. Beekman has designs on hearing his name called in the first draft round next June.
Specifically, on the defensive end, Reece Beekman is already one of the best on-ball defenders in all of college basketball. Although he is underrated as he hasn’t been a final contender for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in either of the last two seasons. So, you could say there are still some things for him to conquer in terms of defensive recognition. Among them is to become the first player since North Carolina’s John Henson in 2011 and 2012 to repeat as ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Beekman’s field goal attempts and overall scoring production should increase significantly. Consider he has never averaged in double figures, and that should change this season. Being aggressive and hunting his shot more is only part of it, though. To show, Beekman needs to improve his finishing around the rim. And he needs to get to his spot for mid-range jumpers more consistently.
There were a lot of reasons Reece Beekman gave for returning to Virginia for one final season. First, he raised his draft stock by improving his game, completing his degree from the University of Virginia, and taking care of some unfinished business at the collegiate level. He’s never once won an NCAA Tournament game in his career at UVA. There is a path Beekman can take through which he can accomplish all of those objectives. In conclusion, Beekman must have the breakout year offensively that all followers of UVA basketball are so desperately hoping for. If he does, that could coincide with Virginia winning games in March Madness for the first time since 2019.