A Fine Line

Two weeks ago, with Virginia standing a surprising 3-0 in the ACC, the Hoos welcomed in 6-12 UNC-Wilmington.  It was a game that a front-running ACC team should have handled easily at home, but the Cavaliers needed a late Sylven Landesberg jumper to eke out a two-point win.  After the game, Tony Bennett cautioned that his team, while improved, would continue to walk "a fine line" between winning and losing. 

That fine line reared its head last night against N.C. State, a team Virginia handled on the road just three weeks ago and standing at a lowly 2-5 in the ACC.  But with Landesberg struggling to find his shot, and having trouble slowing the Pack's inside tandem of Tracy Smith and Richard Howell, Virginia simply wasn't good enough to cruise at home, even against an inferior opponent.

Thankfully, the Hoos remembered the line they have to walk in time to win the game.  The inside lanes that were open in the first half closed down in the second.  Virginia reasserted control of the glass.  And the Wolfpack, who had shot 46% in the first half, could no longer crack the code.  Keyed by a six-plus minute run midway thru the second half in which the Hoos held N.C. State scoreless, Virginia pulled away and (almost unbelievably) into a tie atop the ACC.

It wasn't pretty (except for Mustapha Farrakhan's right-handed, and-1 dunk, which was pretty sweet), but Bennett-Ball usually isn't.  Still, after surrendering 28 in the first half, Virginia gave up only 19 in the second.  It doesn't matter how much your leading scorer scores (Landesberg only had 7 on 2-10 shooting) if you hold your opponent to 47 points.

So despite having to walk that fine line, Tony Bennett's charges have ascended to a share of the lead in the conference.  If they keep that line in mind, there's no limit to how well they can do in a down ACC.