The 5 Best Defensive Teams in the NCAA Tournament
Virginia Cavaliers
| Def. Percentile (Rk) | Adj D (Rk) | Opp. Points/Game (Rk) |
|---|---|---|
| 99.8 (2nd) | 85.4 (1st) | 50.8 (1st) |
Though the Hoos may not be as flashy as the Wildcats, they're just as efficient. Virginia's third in the nation in opponents' field goal percentage (36.1%), third in opponents' attempted free throws and eighth in made free throws allowed per game.
More impressive is how the Cavaliers do it. Utilizing Tony Bennett's pack-line defense, Virginia is great at keeping their man in front of them and helping whenever there's a breakdown. As a result, they're 344th in the country in personal fouls and have 123 fewer fouls than Kentucky. Their defense is clean and get's the job done.
Highlighted Player: Darion Atkins
Atkins helps Virginia pack the key and influence opponents' shots in the paint. He averages over a block per game in 23.8 minutes per game, but he's a much better defender than that indicates. The senior has 2.3 Defensive Win Shares on the season and the third-best Defensive Rating in the entire country (82.4).
