The Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball team has rolled out a revamped offense in the 2024-25 season as the ‘Hoos look to improve upon their poor offensive performance last year.
With a more pronounced emphasis on spacing the floor with scheming and personnel, the incorporation of new actions with dribble handoffs, zoom actions, and staggered screens, and generally more unpredictability baked into the offense, the Cavaliers should be a better offensive team this season.
To analyze what’s different and what’s the same about UVA’s offensive scheme, I broke down the film from the Cavaliers’ season-opening win versus the Campbell Fighting Camels. Coppin State running a matchup zone meant we didn’t get another look at Virginia’s new offensive approach. But there was plenty from the Campbell win to work off.
UVA is still using some of the actions from their traditional offenses – predominantly sides (or mover blocker) and inside triangle – to generate shots this season. But those plays are more purposeful. The Cavaliers are using those sets to either generate an open look for a shooter, create a mismatch to attack, or to throw the ball into the post.
Players including Isaac McKneely, Elijah Saunders, and Blake Buchanan are benfiting from this updated offense. McKneely and Saunders are seeing more designed opportunities to feed them shots. Buchanan is being folded in as an offensive playmaker far more this season with the high volume of DHOs and ball screens the ‘Hoos are running.
Meanwhile, having shooting threats such as TJ Power and Jacob Cofie especially in the frontcourt has allowed the Cavaliers to spread the floor more than they have in recent seasons. That allows for schematic experimentation and freedom since opponents have to stretch out to matchups and can’t sag off one or two players.
For the full analysis of UVA’s new offensive scheme, check out this comprehensive film breakdown I put together on Youtube:
