Sophomore guard-forward eager to play in first NCAA tournament, seeks to help No. 1 Cavaliers move past last season's historic loss
'People are still going to remember, but we have another opportunity to do something really special,' said Virginia guard-forward De'Andre Hunter.
Last season, Hunter broke his left wrist during the ACC tournament semifinals when he used his left hand to brace himself while falling awkwardly. He went on to play in the ACC championship game, which Virginia won, before the severity of the injury was revealed. Two days after the Cavaliers received the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, Bennett announced Hunter’s season was over.
“People are still going to remember, but we have another opportunity to do something really special.”The 74-54 loss to UMBC underscored Hunter’s invaluable presence. For starters, the Retrievers made 12 of 24 three-point attempts with Virginia missing its most versatile on-ball defender. They also outrebounded Virginia 31-21. Hunter, the ACC sixth player of the year last season, was third on the Cavaliers in rebounding but first in rebounds per minute.
“Those things I think are really important when you have to account for him on the offensive end. At 6-7 or 6-8 with the long wingspan, just his dimensions are good, so just a high quality player obviously.” With Hunter as the leading scorer this season, the Cavaliers enter a program-record sixth consecutive NCAA tournament armed with their most efficient offense, at least based on advanced statistical metrics, since Bennett took over 10 years ago.[Do 'one and done' teams succeed in March?]
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