Virginia basketball proves it’s no fluke with commanding win over No. 12 North Carolina

Virginia was picked to finish sixth in the ACC preseason poll. Two months into the season, the Cavaliers are proving they were wildly underestimated. Virginia welcomed No. 12 North Carolina to John Paul Jones Arena on Saturday afternoon and beat the Tar Heels 61-49 for their most impressive win of the season.

Senior guard Devon Hall was Virginia’s main source of offense, finishing with 16 points and seven assists in the win. The Cavaliers also got good minutes off the bench from redshirt freshman forward De’Andre Hunter, who had 10 points, seven rebounds and this highlight dunk:

Shades of Michael Jordan on Patrick Ewing, no? On MJ’s school, too, so disrespectful.

UNC shot the ball well from three (8-for-23), but struggled on two-point shots against Virginia’s signature packline defense. The Tar Heels made only 25 percent (8-for-31) of their two-pointers on the afternoon.

Virginia’s ball movement stood out. The Cavaliers finished with 16 assists to just seven for UNC. Virginia also knocked down 8-of-22 attempts from three-point range.

This was always going to be a battle of who could control the pace. Carolina entered top-15 in KenPom’s tempo, playing faster than any power conference team this side of Oklahoma. Virginia, meanwhile, ranked No. 351 in tempo, better known as dead last.

Virginia’s slow, grind it out style won again. Holding Carolina under 50 points is an incredible accomplishment whenever you can do it.

Virginia entered this game No. 8 in the polls and No. 3 on KenPom. Many thought the ‘Hoos would be in for a rebuilding year without four-year starting point guard London Perrantes, but it’s clear this team is even better than last year’s squad that went 23-11.

Tony Bennett has a team with solid guards and a dependable big man in Isaiah Wilkins. Hall is making a star turn and the rotation has eight solid contributors. This team is going to be in the thick of the ACC race all season long.