When the Virginia basketball takes the floor in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday night, it will be a different experience for three of the seniors.

For Reece Beekman, it’s a chance to bounce back from a last-second loss in last year’s dance. For Jake Groves, it’s a chance to return to the madness where he had a monster game as a sophomore at Eastern Washington. For Jordan Minor, it’s a chance, his only chance, to play on this stage after moving up from Merrimack, who won its conference tournament but was not eligible for the NCAA Tournament last season due to bylaws for teams moving up to the division.

Given the uncertainty around the Hoos’ spot on the bubble and the celebration that followed seeing their name in the bracket, it’s safe to say that the players are happy to be in the NCAA Tournament even if meant a quick turnaround to Dayton for the First Four.

“Like you said, this was a reason I came back,” Beekman said. “Been here two times, been knocked out the first round both times. Just have the opportunity just to lead this team and see how far we can go. I feel like we’ve got a good chance. I feel like we’re playing some of our best basketball right now. And I’m just excited to see how far we can go.”

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