No Big Surprise

As a fan you sort of saw this one coming. Running the table in the ACC was out of the question, so everyone knew a loss was coming at some point, and barely getting by UNC Wilmington gave the sense that the trip to Winston-Salem might not turn out well. On Saturday, Virginia's eight-game winning streak came to a grinding halt as Wake Forest handed the Cavs their first conference loss of the season. Raycom color analyst Mike Gminski noted UVa's "pack the line" defense and deliberate offense makes them a tough team to blow out, but the Demon Deacons certainly showed it's possible. Wake Forest built a 24-point lead in the second half, and a late Virginia rally kept the final score somewhat respectable at 69-57.

Bottom line, when you only score 15 points in a half (the lowest offensive output in the first half since 1993), it's going to be extremely difficult to beat just about anyone - especially another ACC foe. After last week's UNC Wilmington game, Coach Bennett warned that his squad's margin for error is slim, and Saturday's performance proved a perfect example. Early foul trouble for both Sylven Landesburg and Mike Scott left the Hoos with too few offensive weapons for much of the first half and the Demon Deacs took advantage. Hootie notes that losing the top inside and outside threat for such a long stretch is too much for a squad without multiple scorers.

While the offense proved virtually non-existent for a good portion of the game, the defense had its ups and downs as well. Virginia forced 24 Wake Forest turnovers yet the Hoos managed to make a marginal inside player in Chas McFarland look like a superstar as Wake Forest manhandled Virginia inside.

While most fans likely didn't expect a win at Wake Forest, the big question now is how the Hoos will respond. With senior Calvin Baker not making the trip due to a "coach's decision" it will prove interesting to see how the Cavs handle some adversity. Arch-rival Virginia Tech comes to town on Thursday and while a win over the Hokies is always good, it's also a game that serves as the perfect opportunity to get back on track.