When the Virginia basketball program picked up transfer Sam Hauser last spring out of Marquette, observers took note. Hoo fans rejoiced. Understandably. On both fronts.

The just crowned National Champions added one of the best available transfers in the college game. ESPN ranked Hauser as the No. 1 sit out transfer of 2019; Hauser worked through the mandated transfer last year with UVA. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports wrote on his College Hoops Today blog early in May that Sam Hauser should be the ACC Preseason Player of the Year. Cavalier seniors Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key as well as other teammates have openly told media members that they predict a big season for Hauser with the Hoos after battling with him in practice.

It’s easy to see where the expectations, which Hauser himself called a “privilege” and not something that creates more pressure, grew from. Hauser showed plenty of skill already on the college level with the Golden Eagles. Over three seasons, he started 97 of 101 games and the four non-starts were all early in his freshman year. In his final two seasons, he averaged better than 14.0 points per game, including 14.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in his junior season before deciding to transfer. He scored in double digits in 28 of 34 games with six double-doubles, including one in the NCAA Tournament.

The shooting numbers alone can create instant excitement with Cavalier fans. He shot 45.9% overall and 40.2% from 3-point range as a junior as he earned second team All-Big East honors. That didn’t come on low volume either. He made 88 triples! For comparison sake on that total, Virginia made 170 last year as a team while Kyle Guy made 120 himself to lead the team the previous year. Plus, you throw in a year with strength and conditioning guru Mike Curtis.

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