The Virginia basketball team continued the back-and-forth pattern of wins and losses this season with a loss at NC State and a win against Louisville at home. Since the Lehigh game on Nov. 26, UVA has alternated wins and losses with back-to-back victories at Syracuse and Clemson to start 2022 being the only exception. The Double Bonus returns for a look at the latest two-pack.

Middle Exchange

The Cavaliers picked up the win against Louisville thanks to a blistering start that built a 27-8 lead. They fended off any rallies from there in what turned out to be the final game in Cardinal coach Chris Mack’s tenure. Two key plays that kept the visitors at bay came from the same wrinkle. It’s one that’s been in the UVA playbook for a while too. Let’s look at all three examples.

The concept is a simple play where two guards exchange the ball in the middle of the floor with a handoff leading directly into a ball screen. The initial guard’s path does not get an actual screen, but rubs right past the screener instead just before the handoff occurs. The Hoos create spacing for the action with four players wide around a single screener in the middle. The two guards who exchange the ball are above the top of the key, while the other two players are in the corners as options for a kickout pass.

The first example of this action came at the end of the first half. Kihei Clark dribbled to his right toward screener Kadin Shedrick and guard Reece Beekman. Beekman took the handoff and dribbled right off of a ball screen from Shedrick. That created space for Beekman as Louisville elected not to hedge the screen and a quick in-and-out dribble lost the screen defender Roosevelt Wheeler in help defense. Beekman scored on a reverse layup that gave Virginia 12-point lead at the half and provided a little more cushion to hold off a comeback attempt in the second half.

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