It is easy to forget. Time, nostalgia, and altered expectations have a funny way of changing the view after all.

During Virginia’s run to the ACC regular season and ACC Tournament titles last season, it posted a 16-2 regular season record and a 3-0 mark in the tourney. The Cavaliers won by double figures in 13 of those 19 victories, while fans danced in the aisles, streets, and really everywhere else because next year was finally here. UVa went from unranked at the start of February to the top 10 by March Madness.

In short, it was a ride for the ages. Of course, it wasn’t nearly as easy as that last paragraph sounds either. That’s the tricky part to remember.

The Hoos opened last season’s ACC slate at Florida State with a 78-66 victory in a game where Joe Harris sat most of the way with a concussion sustained in early action. Virginia entered that contest with a 17-game losing streak in the state of Florida, but led by more than 20 points before FSU rallied to rattle some nerves in the second half. The Seminoles didn’t make it all the way back, but they threatened.

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