Virginia Basketball Double Bonus: ACC Tournament

The Virginia basketball team split a pair of overtime games at the ACC Tournament. UVA advanced past Boston College, 66-60, but fell to NC State, 73-65. Fortunately for the Hoos, they still secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament field. The Double Bonus is back for a look at a couple of wrinkles and themes before the First Four.

Baseline Bucket Vs. BC

Earlier this season, the Cavaliers had trouble against baseline out of bounds plays and gave up several buckets (Wake Forest notably in this Double Bonus). In Washington D.C., they turned the tables with baskets on several plays. Some of the success came from twists on concepts they run regularly.

Reece Beekman’s key 3-pointer in overtime Thursday is one example. UVA has run a flex offense concept out of bounds for years in the Tony Bennett era. The ballside block lifts for an over-the-top entry pass. On the other side, a player slides out to the opposite corner while a player positions for the reversal pass. While the ball reverses, the inbounder steps inbounds and screens for the original ballside corner and then runs off a pin-down screen to the top.

Virginia has used the basic flex concept – baseline screen for the corner to cut to the basket followed by a pin-down screen to run to the top – with different alignments. Here it is out of a four flat set-up a few years back.

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