Healthy Scott to lead Cavaliers

Virginia had not been picked to finish fourth or better in the ACC since the 2001-2002 season, when the conference had nine teams.

But this year, the No. 4 Cavaliers are pleased with where they sit.

“We know it’s going to be a struggle and a battle, but the league is definitely open for anybody,” senior guard Sammy Zeglinski said. “We have a lot of experience. We know what to expect.”

The Cavaliers will play UNC twice during a two-week span on Feb. 11 and 25. The Tar Heels won the teams’ only meeting last year in Charlottesville 62-56 after trailing by 11 in the second half.

UNC didn’t make a field goal for almost nine minutes, spanning from the final minutes of the first half to five minutes into the second.

Virginia suffered similar shooting woes and scored only 19 points in the second half. K.T. Harrell led the Cavaliers with 13 points.

Virginia’s senior forward Mike Scott, who missed the UNC game last season after suffering an ankle injury in December, tied Duke’s Seth Curry for fifth for the 2011-2012 Preseason All-ACC team.
Scott averaged a double-double and was the Cavaliers’ leading scorer in the 2011-12 campaign before he missed the rest of the season due to injury.

The NCAA granted Scott a medical redshirt that will allow him to play this season. Scott said he lost 20 pounds in the offseason to prepare for the 2011-12 campaign.

“He’s definitely shown what he can do early on and just having his work ethic come back in the game kind of feeds on the rest of the team,” Zeglinski said. “His knowledge of the game and his talent will definitely boost us.”

Along with the return of Scott, Virginia returns four starters in Zeglinski, Joe Harris, Jontel Evans and Assane Sene. The Cavaliers will welcome the arrival of freshmen Malcolm Brogdon, Paul Jesperson and Darion Atkins.

Virginia has improved since head coach Tony Bennett was hired in 2009. The Cavaliers finished 4-12 in the ACC in Bennett’s first season but were 7-9 last year.

“We’ll never probably be on equal or better footing with some teams in our league, but that’s OK,” Bennett said. “It’s so much about having enough talent and then pulling it all together and playing collectively.”

The Cavaliers were a potential NCAA tournament team until a loss to Miami in the ACC tournament last year. Virginia led by 10 with less than a minute left in the second half but lost in overtime.

“I see a team that definitely has the potential to make the tournament,” Zeglinski said. “At the same time, we have a lot of work to do.”

Scott and teammate Evans promised to grow out their hair until Virginia reaches the NCAA tournament.

“If our hair is a distraction, then we have more problems,” Scott said. “I really don’t focus on the ACC tournament or NCAA tournament. I just worry about the process.”

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