The Virginia Cavaliers scored 42 points in their First Four loss to the Colorado State Rams Tuesday night, restoring a familiar feeling. Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports Mar 19, 2024; Dayton, OH, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Isaac McKneely (11) dribbles the ball defended by Colorado State Rams guard Nique Clifford (10) in the first half at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
ArticlesCollege BasketballBy Robert O'Neill on

Every March, college basketball fans are reminded of the slow, deliberate, plodding style of play that Tony Bennett’s Virginia Cavaliers play.

Virginia makes scoring the basketball and running the offense seem like an absolute chore, leading to long possessions and generally low-scoring games.

Their 67-42 loss to the Colorado State Rams in Tuesday night’s First Four matchup was no different. Virginia went just 14-for-56 (.250) from the field and had multiple long scoreless stretches throughout the game.

It wouldn’t be as bad if Virginia just had one bad game, but they were already a questionable selection for the NCAA Tournament over a team like the Indiana State Sycamores, who went 28-6 this season and have a 21st-century offense led by center Robbie Avila and his tremendous goggles, as one account points out.

Virginia scored just 14 points in the first half, which is incredibly tough to pull off in 20 minutes of basketball. Other teams that narrowly missed the tournament so Virginia could get in, such as the Seton Hall Pirates, Providence Friars, or Pittsburgh Panthers had to be kicking themselves watching the dreadful showing.

Making things even funnier was the fact that Virginia’s baseball team scored a total of 15 runs Tuesday in their victory over the Georgetown Hoyas, which was one more point than the basketball team scored in the first half, as 11Point7 pointed out.

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