And the beat goes on

When Bennett arrived at Virginia, the prevailing thought was his defense-oriented style of play would help the Hoos eliminate the bad losses to lesser opponents and put them in a position to compete and even beat more talented teams. After a blow-out loss to USF and close losses to Stanford, Penn State, and Auburn (all teams Virginia should have beaten), Cavalier fans were left wondering if the transition to Bennett's new system was still a work in progress or if the squad simply lacked talent - and no coach can turn a mule into a Kentucky Derby winner. A surprise 3-0 start in the ACC and a current seven-game winning streak serves as clear evidence that, as Coach Bennett warned time and time again, getting the system in place simply took a little time.

Virginia extended its ACC winning streak Saturday night with a dominant win over visiting Miami. Unlike their come-from-behind wins over N.C. State and GA Tech, the Hoos led this one wire to wire scoring the game's first 8 points and never looking back. The rout featured what was likely one of Virginia's most well-balanced offensive efforts of the season as four Cavaliers scored in double figures and Jeff Jones added 9 points all of which came from behind the arc.

If, for whatever reason, you need more proof Coach Bennett makes defensive play his number one priority, Jontel Evans' surprise start against the Hurricanes should settle it. Evans helped keep Miami guard Dwayne Collins in check and grabbed a career-high 7 rebounds. Look for him to remain in the starting line up tonight against UNC Wilmington.

Last week there was a bit of talk about Assane Sene's DNP against N.C. State and the expectation that he would see more time. There is little doubt he can and likely will play key role in helping establish a stronger inside presence for Virginia, but against Miami, Jerome Meyinsse made it clear he is currently the best option at center. Meyinsse plays with grit and a sense of determination that Sene can't quite match, and while 6 points is far from earth-shattering, it's probably about as good as it gets right now. Meyinsse seems to be gaining more and more confidence with each game, and getting 6-8 points from the center position each night would serve as a nice boost to the offense.

The weak attendance figures so far this season have been a topic of conversation, and with some of the aforementioned early-season setbacks, it appeared Cavalier fans weren't willing to witness the team's growing pains in person. After six straight wins, the crowd finally showed up (numbers-wise) Saturday night as a season-best 11, 413 turned out to catch Hoos. The athletic department also announced a new $10 ticket promotion which should help further build on the momentum generated from the current winning streak.

A 3-0 conference record marks Virginia's best start in league play in the last 15 seasons, and it seems that the players are really starting to "buy-in" to Bennett's system. The fans showed up Saturday night, so it also looks as if the fans are starting to "buy-in" to the idea that this year's squad could prove solid and worth watching. As the Hoos sit alone atop the ACC standings as the only team with an unblemished conference record, it stands to reason that teams are probably ready to "buy-in" to the idea that this squad is no longer a pushover. No longer able to surprise anyone, the new question becomes whether or not the Cavs have truly turned the corner or if this recent success was simply the result catching a few mid-to-lower tier ACC teams off guard. Either way, UVa fans should be sold on the idea that this new found sense of hope and excitement is a sure sign of progress.