Growing up a fan of sports we usually have strong emotional ties to our favorite teams. For some people that’s their dad’s favorite team that they feel somewhat obligated to like or the love of their favorite athlete who made them love the sport. Some people’s favorite teams are the most prominent names in sport: Lakers, Cowboys, or the world famous Yankees, some even Alabama Crimson TIde football. For me though my emotional ties tie to one specific university no matter the sport The University of Virginia. Although I do not attend the University of Virginia I believe I bleed blue and orange. I love every UVA sport most notable being football but this story is not the football team. In the world of college basketball there are programs called blue bloods, those being Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky but that doesn’t make them only four who can win championships. In the 2010’s UVA basketball in my opinion was one of the best basketball programs in the nation year in and year out. Led by coach Tony Bennett UVA basketball where from the years of 2010-2019 he led the Cavaliers to 239-73 record while going to seven NCAA tournaments. In the year of 2018 the Cavaliers were coming off a disappointing finish to the year where they went 23-11. Led by Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome, and De’Andre Hunter the Cavaliers advanced to the #1 team in the country in a poll for the first time watching UVA basketball. Notable games that year were a 65-63 win against Duke at Cameron indoor arena and 67-66 last second buzzer beater three by De’Andre Hunter to beat Louisville. Winning the Acc regular season championship and the Acc tournament championship the Cavaliers were poised to make a run in the NCAA tournament at least they were supposed to. Injured in the acc tournament star guard Kyle Guy limped into the NCAA tournament but that’s not all sidelined with a broken hand suffered in practice before the NCAA tournament star player De’Andre Hunter. On selection Sunday UVA was selected as the #1 overall seed and their opponent was 16 seed UMBC and like many Cavalier fans I didn’t know where UMBC was. Friday night March 16, 2018 UVA and UMBC squared off on the hardwood. Even without De’Andre Hunter and a not 100 percent Kyle Guy I had no doubt UVA could win this game with ease. It was a back and forth game until UMBC got hot from behind the arc and I knew UVA was in trouble. A #1 seed had never lost to 16 seed in the Men’s NCAA tournament before that changed that night. A team that seemed poised for a march madness run was humiliated by 16 seed losing 54-74 making it the craziest upsets in NCAA tournament history. In my lifetime watching UVA sports I can honestly say that night haunts me to this day. Although UVA was the first #1 seed to lose to a 16 seed Coach Tony Bennett handled it with the utmost humility one of the pillars to his program. Following the loss UVA returned their core three Kyle Guy, Ty Jermone, and De’Andre Hunter for the 2018-19 season. Starting the season 16-0 the Cavaliers looked determined to make amends to the disappointing end last season had. Finishing the regular season 28-2 UVA looked to repeat as ACC tournament champions. Falling short in that effort losing the semifinals they turned their focus on redeeming themselves from last year. Selected as #1 seed again UVA would be a prime opportunity to avenge last year’s 16 seed blowout. Against Garnder Webb this time UVA was put in similar situations down at half time against a 16 seed. With their back against the wall the Cavaliers fought back to gain a 71-56 victory to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament. With the 16 seed ghost behind them. UVA would go on to beat Oklahoma 63-51 to advance to sweet 16. In the sweet 16 UVA would play a scrappy Oregon team who would play a competitive game but UVA would walk away with the victory 53-49. In the Elite 8 UVA would play Purdue and to this day it is one of the best basketball games I have seen. Purdue’s Carson Edwards hit 10 threes while UVA core three combined for 39 points. The score was 70-68 Purdue as UVA’s Ty Jerome was at the free throw line. Missing the free throw Kihie Clark rebound the ball and passed the ball to Mamadi Diakite to hit the buzzer beater to force the ot where UVA would go on to win 80-75 and advance to the final four. In the final four UVA would play Auburn and having a generational game in the closing moments UVA was down three looking for a three they passed it to Kyle Guy where he took a three a missed but was fouled on the shot sending him to the free throw line for three shots. With the most important shots of his college career Kyle Guy went to the line and made all three free throws giving the Cavaliers the 63-62 lead and eventually the win. With the opportunity to win a championship after the humiliation of losing to the 16 seed, Texas Tech stood in their way. UVA would go on to play another generational game De’Andre Hunter would make a clutch three at the end of regulation to force OT where UVA would go on to win 85-77 and win their first national championship in program history. As a UVA fan I still remember the feeling of watching the spectacular that was those games. I believe it is one of the most full circle moments in sports history. Losing to a 16 seed to winning the national championship I believe started in the moments after the 16 seed where Coach Tony Bennett handled it with humility and respect but it shows no matter what happens or how bad you fail all that matters is how you respond and what you do with another opportunity.
*picture owned by sports illustrated