Virginia’s Awful First Half vs. Colorado State Had Fans Questioning NCAA Tournament Committee
The Virginia Cavaliers had a first half to forget Tuesday night.
No. 10 seed Virginia entered halftime trailing fellow No. 10 seed Colorado State 27–14 in their NCAA tournament First Four matchup at UD Arena.
The Cavaliers scored 14 points in 20 minutes of action. They didn’t score a single point over the final 9:20 of the first half, and didn’t find the scoreboard again until 3:20 into the second half.
Virginia shot 17.2% (5-of-29) from the floor and 22.2% from three-point range (2-of-9) in the first half. Colorado State was efficient, shooting 50% from the field (12-of-24) and 42.9% from deep (3-of-7).
Virginia and Colorado State combined for 41 points in the first half. For context, the lowest-scoring game in March Madness history (since the shot clock was implemented in 1986) is 75 total points, set in 1999 when Missouri State beat Wisconsin 43–32.
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Wisconsin’s coach at the time was Dick Bennett, the father of current Virginia coach Tony Bennett.
The Cavaliers’ terrible start to their March Madness game led to plenty of jokes from the college hoops world who wished the NCAA tournament selection committee made a different choice:
Why would anyone want to see Indiana State (28-6, No. 1 in the nation in effective FG percentage, averaging 84.4 ppg) in the NCAA Tournament when you can be treated to this viewing experience instead?
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) March 20, 2024
They really picked this Virginia team over the Big East teams
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) March 20, 2024
Virginia Men’s Basketball 2024 pic.twitter.com/myz57n6f0Z
— Coach Colin al-Gaib (@CDaves434) March 20, 2024
Virginia when they cross the 15-point threshold in a half pic.twitter.com/eRPtQIvKjY
— The College Basketball Stories Podcast (@theCBBstories) March 20, 2024
Don’t let the fact that Virginia plays a distressing, unenjoyable style of basketball distract you from the fact that they are also not good enough to be in the NCAA Tournament
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) March 20, 2024
Literally everyone on this app right now watching Virginia in the 2024 NCAA Tournament pic.twitter.com/x4IfH262qv
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 20, 2024
In the final 9:20 of the first half, Virginia scored as many points in Dayton as Oklahoma, Seton Hall, Indiana State and Pittsburgh did tonight.
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 20, 2024
The winner of the Virginia–Colorado State clash advances to the Round of 64 to battle