Bracket to Determine Best UVA Basketball Game

Here’s an archived NYT article on the Duke win: https://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/19/sports/basketball-virginia-beats-duke-again-adding-to-the-downdraft.html

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Here’s the full Auburn game:

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If this is even close I will not be happy hahahha

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Next up we’ve got the 2018 win @ #4 Duke versus the 1984 Sweet Sixteen game against Syracuse.


Despite Ralph Sampson’s graduation the previous year, Virginia started the 1983-1984 season on a roll. Opening the year 10-0, they were high flying, but came back to earth, finishing the year 17-11 and uncertain of their postseason fate. Fortunately, they got an at-large bid in the 32 team tournament as a 7 seed. After upsetting 2-seed Arkansas, the 'Hoos met 3-seed Syracuse in the Sweet Sixteen. The Cavs came out on top, 63-55. After that win, Virginia would beat Indiana in the Elite Eight and go to the program’s second Final Four.

In 2018, Virginia entered the season un-ranked and underestimated by the national press. But by January 27th, the Cavs were 19-1 and ranked 2nd in the AP poll, and headed to Durham to play #4 Duke. Kyle Guy led the way for the Wahoos, scoring 17 points, while Ty Jerome added 13 points and seven assists, and Devon Hall added 14 points and 8 rebounds, as Virginia would come out on top 65-63. Jerome’s three with 38 seconds left just about sealed the deal, and the Cavs had their first win in Cameron Indoor in thirteen years.

  • 1984 Sweet Sixteen vs Syracuse
  • 2019 @ #4 Duke
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Here’s the condensed version of the Duke win:

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Here’s a WaPo article from last year on the ‘84 Cavs’ run to the Final Four:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/04/05/there-is-life-after-ralph-looking-back-virginias-surprise-run-final-four/

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And here’s the full 1984 sweet sixteen game vs Cuse:

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Now we’ve got the 1982 win over #2 UNC versus the 1984 Elite Eight vs Indiana.


On February 19th 1982, Michael Jordan and the #2 North Carolina came to UHall to for their second meeting of the season with Virginia. In the teams’ first contest, Carolina came out on top 65-60. But this time, Coach Terry Holland, Ralph Sampson, and the rest of the Wahoos would reign supreme, winning by a whopping 16 points, 74-58. These two teams would meet for a third time in the ACC Championship, which the Tar Heels would win by two-points. The Cavs would still make the NCAA Tournament, but lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament to Arkansas.

In 1984, Virginia made its second Final Four run, and first without Ralph Sampson. In the Elite Eight, they met Indiana. Led by Jim Miller’s 19 points and olden Olden Polynice’s 12, the Cavs won 50-48. A massive stop won the game, as, with sixteen seconds left, Indiana rebounded a Kenton Edelin missed free throw and brought the ball down the court. Dan Dakich drove, but was swarmed by Virginia defenders, and was forced to move the ball to Stew Robinson, who missed the mid-range jump shot, Virginia secured the rebound, the game was over, and the 'Hoos were heading back to college basketball’s biggest stage.

  • 1982 vs #2 UNC
  • 1984 Elite Eight vs Indiana
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Here’s the full Indiana game:

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And here’s an archived NYT article about the Final Four run:

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I’m tending to see a trend. The most recent game is usually winning in this tournament.

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Does that mean the natty is going to win the whole thing?

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In our LAST matchup of the first round, we’ve got the 2016 Sweet Sixteen win vs Iowa State versus the 1983 Sweet Sixteen vs Boston College.


In 2016, Virginia made its longest tournament run under Tony Bennett to date. Beating Hampton in the first round and Butler in the second, they tipped off against Iowa State in the Sweet 16. The Cavs got out to an early lead, and really never looked back, winning 84-71. Anthony Gill led the way with 23 points and 8 boards, while Mike Tobey scored 18 and brought in 7 rebounds of his own. The guards were phenomenal as well, as London Perrantes (9), Devon Hall (7), and Malcolm Brogdon (5) combined for 21 assists. The offense was clicking all night, and despite only making 4 threes, scored 84 points on 1.22 points per possession. Unfortunately, as we all, know, the 'Hoos would lose a heartbreaker to Syracuse in the Elite Eight, but this was a stepping stone for the program that would lead to a National Championship three years later.

In 1983, Sampson’s final year in the orange and blue, the Cavs were poised for a late season run. They beat Washington State in the first round, and met BC in the Sweet Sixteen on March 23rd. In a high paced, high scoring contest, the Wahoos came out on top 95-93 in what would turn out to be Sampson’s last win as a Cavalier. They’d lose to NC State in the Elite Eight, but still solidified the program at the high ranks of college basketball.

  • 2016 Sweet Sixteen vs Iowa State
  • 1983 Sweet Sixteen vs Boston College
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Given that this is the last poll of the first round, ALL first round polls will be closing tomorrow at 1PM and then we’ll move on to the Sweet Sixteen.

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Hoos allowed 93 pts with Ralph in the middle?? Tony would have been pissed!

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I think so.

Alright so the first round polls were closed at 1pm earlier today, and later this evening we’ll be putting up the updated bracket with the Sweet 16 matchups. Then tomorrow we’ll start posting the individual matchup polls, and will try to continue to post 2 per day.

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For a brief summary of the first round, according to my original seeding, we actually had 5 upsets out of a possible sixteen. The more recent game won 10 of 16 matchups. There are 9 Bennett era games in the Sweet 16, 5 games from the Holland era, and 2 from the Jones era. 8 of the games are NCAA Tournament games, 4 are ACC Tournament games, and 4 are regular season games.

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Realized I didn’t put any extra content up for the last matchup. Here’s the highlights for the Iowa State game:

Turned into a real dunkfest late in the game.

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Here’s the updated full bracket from @Benrekosh :


And then by region:



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Great job with this guys…y’all are definitely passionate and talented.

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