Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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12 CAVALIER CORNER BY JEN DIETRICH D efense has long been the calling card of head coach Tony Bennett's Virginia teams, and this year was no exception thanks in large part to the play of fourth-year guard Reece Beek- man and second-year guard Ryan Dunn. The dynamic duo of Beekman and Dunn accounted for 47.8 percent (107 of 224) of the team's steals and 55.9 percent (90 of 161) of its blocks during the regular sea- son, contributing to a 22-9 overall record and a 13-7 mark in ACC play en route to a third-place league finish. Heading into postseason play, the Cavaliers ranked third in the country in scoring defense (59.1 points allowed per game) — behind only Houston (56.9) and Saint Mary's (58.7) — while forcing turnovers on 22.7 percent of its defensive possessions — the high- est rate of any head coach Tony Bennett team ever. Per WarrenNolan.com, the Cava- liers were tied for second nationally in block percent- age (9.9 percent) and tied for 38th in steal percentage (11.6 percent) after the completion of the regular season. Beekman and Dunn both earned a spot on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year watch list in early February. Virginia was one of only two schools (Kansas was the other) to place two players on the 15-man list. On March 13, Beekman was tabbed as one of 10 semifinalists for the award. The versatility to guard multiple positions and the athleticism to cover the court quickly provides the argument to include the two Cavaliers among the best defenders in col- Beekman earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season, joining Duke's Sheldon Williams (2005-06) and North Carolina's John Henson (2011-12) as the only players to win the award twice. (Photo by Jim Daves/courtesy UVA) DYNAMIC DYNAMIC DUO DUO Reece Beekman And Ryan Dunn Have Spearheaded Virginia's Defensive Excellence In 2023-24