UVA 61 JMU 41

   Last Monday at coach Matt Brady’s weekly press luncheon, he said Friday’s game against the University of Virginia would not reveal what his team will ultimately become.
   The Dukes were out-hustled, out-shot, and ultimately out-played in their 61-41 season opening loss on the road to no. 24 University of Virginia.

   “It’s not exactly what we had hoped in terms of the score,” Brady said. “But it’s certainly something we knew was possible.”
  “I thought we had a combination of very difficult shots that you can’t have when you’re on the road and want to beat a quality team,” Brady added.

   Between 13:15 and 1:15 in the first half, the Dukes scored a lone free throw. UVA’s two-three zone defense paralyzed the Dukes from the floor.

   “It was frustrating because we wanted to execute,” sophomore Charles Cooke said. “Some of the plays we executed really well, but we got wide open shots and they just didn’t fall.”
   Andrey Semenov didn’t score from the floor until 1:45 into the second half. When your best offensive threat is held to one made free throw through almost 22 minutes, you can’t expect wins.

   “The question is, is he going to play the way we need him to play,” Brady said. “He’s going to help us become a very good team.”

   Semenov finished the night 3-12 from the field, 1-5 from behind the arc for eight points.

   “Andrey’s going [to have] big nights,” Brady said. “He’s going to have nights when teams guard the heck out of him and we’ll still be in the game with a chance to win.”
   Whether or not Semenov has a “big night” will become a large factor in the win/loss column for JMU this season.

   Offensive consistency and depth is not present in this young roster.

   Sophomores Ron Curry and Cooke finished with nine points apiece. Fellow sophomore Taylor Bessick fouled out before he could even register a shot.

   “Getting into the lane, attacking gaps, and getting it to open shooters [was] the most difficult part about it,” Cooke said.
   When these limited offensive threats fail to fully ignite, Brady finds himself searching for points.

   “The combination of difficult shots, open shots, and not making shots, then you will struggle with a team like this,” Brady said.

   The evolution of freshman Tom Vodanovich has been rapid. While Brady was high on freshman Ivan Lukic prior to the season, Vodanovich has quickly made himself a standout player.

   “I guess just the team I’m with, we’re so close on and off the court,” Vodanovich said. “It just makes it easy to get out there and play.”

   His comfortability and decision-making is unmatched by any one of his fellow newcomers. He got the start Friday night and made the best of it, as he was the only Duke scoring in double figures with 11 (nine of which came from behind the arc) while eating up 38 minutes of floor time. 

   “The competition is always different, but it’s always the same game.”

   JMU’s inexperience showed on the glass and in the lane. The Cavaliers out-rebounded the Dukes 45 to 27 while winning points in the paint too, 38-24. 

   “It’s a learning experience,” Brady said of their physicality. “We have not responded well when we have played outside competition in terms of physicality. It will be a learning curve with this group.”

   History predicted the loss. JMU has not taken down a ranked opponent since 1992. It’s also the fifth time in the past six years they’ve opened the season against a top-25 school.

   “I think the difference in the game was their size and strength in the lane.”
   UVA may be the toughest team JMU faces all season. The Dukes have a lot to learn as they move forward. Class is now in session.

   “This was a good learning experience for us,” Brady said. “As a coaching staff we will look at the tape and get better from it.”