Cavaliers' success depends on mental aspects

Often in college basketball, winning is not a matter of superior physical talent — in major college ball, talent abounds — but who is superior mentally when the pressure is greatest.

Try as he might, a coach can't drill that attribute into a player. Some have it naturally. Others have to acquire it over time.

Often, those are painful times, such as when the University of Virginia Cavaliers let a competitive game get completely away from them at Duke last season; or when the Cavaliers collapsed in the ACC tournament during a Miami comeback and lost a game in overtime they seemingly should have won in regulation.

Last season, the Cavaliers lacked confidence in tight situations and the mental toughness to respond well when the walls were closing on them.

"I think most of the games we lost, we were not very strong mentally," said senior center Assane Sene. "That's the thing we've been working on this off-season."

If the Cavaliers are to meet their goal of earning a bid to the NCAA tournament, they have to be better mentally, not just physically, this season.

Hope springs eternal at the start of a new season. And optimism reigned Thursday at Virginia's men's basketball media day.

The three freshmen who played significant minutes last year now are seasoned sophomores.

The Cavaliers have Mike Scott back. The 6-foot-8 senior forward, who averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds per game in 2009-10, missed most of last season with an ankle injury.

"He'll draw attention, whether he's scoring or not, and I think that will benefit some of the guys who can score," Virginia coach Tony Bennett said.

The Cavs will draw the most attention during their draining ACC schedule.

When they face Duke, which the Virginia seniors never have beaten; North Carolina, which the seniors have beaten just once; or the resurgent Clemson Tigers or Florida State Seminoles, will the Cavaliers have the mental tenacity to squelch the pressure those teams provide?

"We lacked a little bit of leadership (last year) and this year I think some of us underclassmen have really tried to step up," said 6-6 sophomore guard Joe Harris, who averaged 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds last season. "We know that's what we have to do to win. We have Mike and Sammy (Zeglinski, a senior guard) back, and from my perspective, we have the leadership to help us overcome situations like last year.

"You've got to be put to the test and see who steps up and is not going to let the team fold and not let the guys put their heads down and, if they have to, 'will' the team to victory. I think we've got those guys."

Thinking it is a good start. Proving it is better.