UVA Basketball Headed to the NIT Again

Despite a strong regular season the UVA men’s basketball team will once again be heading to the NIT.

UVA’s disappointing season

The University of Virginia men’s Basketball team is headed to the National Invitational Tournament for the second straight year, after a disappointing season in which they failed to make the NCAA tournament

The Cavaliers had high hopes for the season, after making it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last year, but they struggled from the start, losing key games early in the season. They finished with a record of 18-14, and were not among the top 68 teams in the country according to the NCAA’s metric.

As a result, they will head to the NIT again, where they will face Norfolk State in the first round. It is a disappointing end to what was supposed to be a promising season for Virginia.

UVA’s chances in the NIT

UVA is heading to the NIT for the second consecutive year, and fans are wondering if the team has what it takes to win it all this time around.

The NIT is a single-elimination tournament that features 32 teams from across the country. The field is typically made up of teams that did not make the NCAA tournament but UVA has proven in recent years that it can compete with anyone.

In 2018, the Cavaliers made a run to the NIT semifinals before falling to eventual champion Penn State Last year, UVA won its first two games in the tournament before losing to Florida in the quarterfinals.

This year, UVA will be one of the top seeds in the tournament and will have homecourt advantage throughout. The Cavaliers will open up against Norfolk State on Tuesday night at John Paul Jones Arena.

UVA’s seeding in the NIT

UVA is seeded No. 1 in the NIT for the second consecutive year and will play host to Norfolk State on Tuesday night at John Paul Jones Arena.

The Cavaliers (21-10) are coming off a loss to Florida State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals. They are one of four ACC teams in the 32-team Nit Field joining Syracuse, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh.

Last year, UVA went 1-1 in the NIT, falling to USC in the second round. The Cavaliers have not won a season game since 2015, when they went 2-1 in the NCAA tournament

UVA’s first round matchup in the NIT

The UVA men’s basketball team is headed to the NIT for the second consecutive year. The Cavaliers will take on Gardner-Webb in the first round on Tuesday, March 19 at 7:00 PM at John Paul Jones Arena.

This will be the second meeting between the two teams, with UVA winning the first matchup, 77-64, in Charlottesville back in December of 2018.

UVA is coming off a disappointing loss to Florida State in the ACC Tournament where they were defeated 68-58. The Cavaliers finished the regular season with a record of 20-12 (10-8 ACC).

UVA’s potential opponents in the NIT

This will be Virginia’s fourth consecutive appearance in the NIT. The Cavaliers have a 33-3 record in the NIT and have won the tournament four times (1979, 1980, 1992, 1995).

Virginia could potentially face any of the following teams in the first round of the NIT:

– Boilermakers (19-14)
– Bulldogs (18-14)
– Longhorns (16-16)
– Jayhawks (19-13)
– Tar Heels (18-15)
– Hokies (19-14)

The Cavaliers will most likely be a top seed in the tournament and will have home court advantage throughout.

UVA’s road to the NIT

UVA’s road to the NIT has been a long and winding one. The Cavaliers have been bounced in the first round of the NCAA tournament four times in the last five years, with their lone win coming against Coastal Carolina in 2016. This year, they were once again sent packing in the first round, this time by UMBC.

It’s been a tough few years for Virginia fans, but there is some silver lining: the Cavaliers are headed to the NIT for the third time in five years. While it’s not the NCAA Tournament it’s still a chance to see Virginia play meaningful basketball games in March.

The NIT is a 32-team tournament that begins on Tuesday, March 13. The Cavaliers will be seeded fourth in their region and will host Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, March 14 at 7 PM ET. If they win that game, they will face either Florida or South Carolina on Friday or Saturday.

UVA’s history in the NIT

The University of Virginia men’s Basketball team is headed back to the National Invitation Tournament for the third time in four years.

The Cavaliers (19-14, 10-8 ACC) received the No. 3 seed in the 32-team tournament and will host No. 6 seed South Carolina (22-11, 10-8 SEC) in the first round on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.

This will be the 18th time UVa has appeared in the NIT, which is one shy of Indiana’s tournament-record 19 appearances. The Cavaliers are 26-16 all-time in the NIT, including 13-5 at home. Virginia has won five NIT titles (1979, 1980, 1992, 1995, 1996), which is tied with UCLA and Ohio State for second most all-time behind St. John’s (six).

What the NIT means for UVA

The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) is a postseason college Basketball Tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament was created in 1938 by the Metropolitan Basketball Association a precursor to today’s National Basketball Association Originally designed to give some of the nation’s top basketball programs who did not make the NCAA Tournament a chance to compete for a National Championship the NIT has evolved into something of a consolation prize for teams that just miss out on the NCAA’s Main Event

For the University of Virginia men’s basketball team the NIT has been a regular destination in recent years The Cavaliers have made four straight NIT appearances and six overall since Head Coach Tony Bennett took over in 2009. And while UVA has never won the NIT championship the team did make it to the semifinals in 2012 and 2016.

So what does it mean when a team like UVA ends up in the NIT again? Well, for one thing, it means that the Cavaliers are probably not going to be contending for a National Championship this season. But it also means that they will get another chance to play meaningful basketball games in front of their home fans at John Paul Jones Arena. And for a young team like this year’s squad, that can be an important opportunity to continue gaining experience and building towards next season.

What UVA needs to do to win the NIT

UVA is headed to the NIT again and will take on UMBC in the first round. Here’s what the Cavaliers need to do to win the tournament.

The Cavaliers are no stranger to the NIT, having won the tournament in 1980 and again in 1992. But since then, they’ve been bounced from the tournament in the first round three times, including last year’s loss to Florida.

To avoid another early exit, here’s what UVA needs to do:

1. Win the first game: This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s worth pointing out because UMBC is no pushover. The Retrievers earned their spot in the NIT by winning the America East conference tournament so they’ll be coming into this game with momentum. UVA can’t afford to take them lightly.

2. Get hot from three-point range The Cavaliers have been streaky from beyond the arc all season, and they’ll need to be on their game if they want to win the NIT. They’re capable of going on runs where they hit several threes in a row, but they’re also capable of going cold and missing wide open shots. If they can find a way to be more consistent from long range, it will go a long way towards winning games in the NIT.

3. Play tough defense: Defense has been a hallmark of Tony Bennett coached teams, and it will need to be on display if UVA wants to win the NIT. The Cavaliers are capable of shutting down opponents when they’re locked in on defense, but they’ve also had lapses where they’ve allowed easy baskets. If they can string together stops on defense, it will go a long way towards winning games.

Why the NIT is important for UVA

The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) is a single-elimination tournament for men’s college basketball teams that are not selected to participate in the NCAA tournament The tournament was founded in 1938 and is operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The NIT is considered to be of secondary importance to the NCAA Tournament but it still provides a valuable post-season experience for the teams that participate. For the University of Virginia Cavaliers who have been largely unsuccessful in recent years the NIT provides an opportunity to build momentum heading into next season.

In addition, the NIT gives players and coaches a chance to improve their skills and strategies against high-level competition The experience can also be beneficial for younger players who will be expected to play a larger role next season. Finally, the NIT provides valuable exposure for the program, which can help attract recruits.