Did the Brutal Loss to No. 1 Duke Expose the No. 13 Virginia Cavaliers?

The Virginia Cavaliers did not handle themselves well last weekend when taking on the Duke Blue Devils. They were ultimately handed a 77-51 loss, bringing their overall record to 25-4 overall and 13-3 in conference play.

Now, the Cavaliers are left to compete in the two final matchups left on their regular-season schedule against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Virginia Tech Hokies. But when the Blue Devils defeated the Hoos, they exposed some of their greatest weaknesses, which could hurt them during this final stretch if they don't get squared away on both sides of the ball.

If UVA wants to finish its season strong and make a steady run in the NCAA Tournament, now is the time for the Cavaliers to start turning up the heat and fine-tune their play.

Virginia’s Weaknesses Are Out in the Open

Virginia Cavaliers Dallin Hall dribbling a basketball next to Miami Hurricanes Tre Donaldson — Virginia Cavaliers guard Dallin Hall and Miami Hurricanes guard Tre Donaldson | Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Cavaliers have had trouble rebounding throughout much of the season, but before their matchup against the Blue Devils, it looked like the Hoos had worked out most of the issues. Unfortunately, they lost the rebound battle against Duke on Saturday.

Their troubles didn't end there, however. Virginia's shooting was well below where it normally stands. By the end of the night, the Hoos were shooting 29% from the floor, while the Blue Devils shot 49%. Duke's defense was a driving factor in UVA's frustrating night, but the Cavaliers also missed wide-open shots that they are typically on top of.

"I think it's their defense. I mean, I think their defense is really good, and they did a nice job of getting out and protecting their paint, and our guys certainly, we encouraged our guys to let it go," head coach Ryan Odom stated during his media appearance. "When you're playing a team like this that does such a good job of protecting the twos, you're going to have to make some threes in order to have a really, really good chance. If you can get to the free-throw line and have a good balance of the two, then you have a chance."

Virginia comes in at No. 6 in the ACC for points per game, posting an average of 81.2. Their 51 points over the weekend were a dramatic season low, automatically exposing their weaknesses on offense. The Cavaliers were humbled during this matchup, and they must be able to adjust to teams pressuring them on the court once the NCAA Tournament arrives.

Considering UVA's improvements throughout this season, it's likely that this was simply a bad game for the Cavaliers, but that doesn't mean their glaring weaknesses should be overlooked.