It’s Finally Over

It’s over. The worst six months in more than 30 years of Virginia revenue sports is over. Boston College provided the final parting blow in Thursday’s ACC Tournament, dealing 11th-seeded Virginia a 76-63 loss.

The tourney defeat dropped UVa to 10-18 on the season. It’s the fewest wins for the men’s basketball program since the 1969-70 season when Bill Gibson’s Cavaliers posted a 10-15 record. Paired with the football team’s 5-7 mark this fall, it marks the first time since the 1976-77 sports year that both the football and men’s basketball team finished with losing records.

So forgive your fellow Hoo fans if they seem a little bummed out this weekend. After all, unlike 2006-07 when an NCAA Tournament appearance eased some football pain, it’s been a long basketball season. For the ACC portion of the schedule, UVa finished 4-12 in the regular season with a first-round tournament loss. That follows last season’s 5-11 league mark and first-round exit.

Thursday, save another sterling farewell performance from Mamadi Diane , did nothing to provide solace.

It was another dismal shooting night (37.5%) with an often stagnant offense. It was another sloppy ball-handling night with 20 turnovers. It was another decent defensive effort that was negated in large part by foul-prone mistakes; the Eagles made 31 of 36 free throws in the game. In the end, that equaled another double-digit loss.

In short, it was more of the same. After all, the Hoos have spent most of the season missing shots (41.7%), committing turnovers (14.8 per game), and allowing free throws (21 opponent attempts per game). The Cavaliers fell by double digits in 11 of their 18 losses.

So yes, it’s over. The worst six months in more than 30 years of Virginia revenue sports is finally over.

Mercifully, wouldn’t you say?