On Saturday afternoon, the Virginia Cavaliers (5-4) lost their ACC opener for the first time since 2008, falling to the SMU Mustangs 63-51 in Dallas.

Despite holding a 45-38 lead with 10:19 left, the ‘Hoos did not make a single field goal in the final 10 minutes of the game as the Mustangs pulled away on a 25-6 run. Isaac McKneely was Virginia’s only double-digit scorer with 17 points on 5-for-12 shooting from the field and a 4-for-8 mark on three.

With the loss, we have five lessons for the ‘Hoos moving forward.

Virginia returns to the mover-blocker offense with typical results

When Dai Dai Ames finally left Saturday’s game – due to a sprained ankle, according to Ron Sanchez – with 10:39 left in the first half, the Cavaliers almost completely reverted to their teams’ offense (or mover blocking) for the remainder. back of the game.

Although Virginia has shown some new offensive performances in the first nine games of the season, it has not revolutionized its offensive system to jettison the systems that have doomed them in recent seasons. That was obvious against SMU.

Granted, without Ames, it’s logical to rely on mover blockers to create space for shooters like McKneely, Ishan Sharma and Taine Murray, who aren’t playmakers themselves. But like the last five years, UVA’s offense was too reliant on mid-range and a shooter (in this case McKneely) to make shots.

McKneely got going early in the second half with 10 points over a 7:07 stretch. But SMU adjusted, pressed McKneely and made it difficult for him to catch the ball. Virginia’s offense stalled as a result.

The plan is hardly the entirety of UVA’s offense. But it’s terribly frustrating to watch Virginia’s coaching staff fail to plan and execute new offenses.

The Wahoo offense needs Dai Dai Ames

On this score, Dai Dai Ames’ value to this Virginia team has never been more evident than in this loss. He’s essentially the only Cavalier who, beyond McKneely’s three-point heroics, can create offense for himself and touch the paint consistently.

Ames isn’t perfect – he turns the ball over too often, with a turnover rate of 22.1% per KenPom. His 55.6% shooting clip from three makes up for it, as does his influence as a creator. Without him, Virginia was literally and figuratively running in circles on offense. The fact that there were no field goals in the last 10:19 minutes was proof of this.

It’s hard to completely blame the UVA coaching staff and scheme for the team’s offensive woes this season and in this game. There just aren’t enough pieces to fit together as a puzzle, and Ames’ absence has taken one of the biggest pieces off the board. Ideal for the ‘Hoos as he won’t miss much time due to his sprained ankle.

UVA’s starting frontcourt is becoming a problem

Blake Buchanan and Elijah Saunders had poor games against SMU. Together, they shot 1-for-10, scored seven points, grabbed just six rebounds and committed six fouls. SMU freshman Samet Yigitoglu insulted them in the post throughout the game.

Buchanan has become a black hole offensively and lacks the power to contain post threats like Yigitoglu. The defense played him on the perimeter and forced him to beat them, but he couldn’t.

Saunders posted a 19-point performance against Florida on Wednesday and averaged 9.4 points per game. But his physical struggles have negated his impact on both ends of the floor. His post-up game is limited against major conference opponents, he’s been a liability on the defensive line, and he hasn’t shot well enough to compensate for those issues.

Virginia doesn’t have many other options up front. Redshirt freshman center Anthony Robinson got two minutes against SMU and Jacob Cofie continues to contribute well off the bench. But Virginia needs at least one, probably both, Buchanan and Saunders to be much more reliable if the ‘Hoos want to be more than just a middle-of-the-pack ACC team.

Ishan Sharma and Jacob Cofie prevailed against the veterans for several minutes

Providing a bit of optimism were true freshmen Ishan Sharma and Jacob Cofie, who both made Virginia’s roster after the loss. Neither was fantastic and both had typical freshman moments.

Cofie scored eight points on 3-for-6 shooting with some nice individual shots in the second half. Sharma scored three points on 1-for-3 shooting and helped direct the offense in Ames’ absence.

Cofie’s late missed dunk and Sharma’s live-ball turnover on an attempted pass to McKneely were costly. But her experience of being on the floor in these moments would pay off over time. Given the performance of the frontcourt players around him, Cofie will have a big role to play on this team. Additionally, Sharma’s shooting ability could be important for the ‘Hoos off the bench.

Virginia’s trend toward collapse in the second half of the year continues

In three of Virginia’s four losses so far this season, the second half has been a disaster for the Hoos. On Saturday, it was a 25-6 run by SMU in the final 10 minutes that cost the ‘Hoos the game. Against Florida, the Gators’ 25-9 run in the first 10 minutes of the second half made the difference. In the Bahamas, Tennessee’s 25-8 run in the final 10 minutes sealed the deal.

Virginia was competitive in the first half in every game except the loss to St. John’s. In most contests, the ‘Hoos even held on until halfway through the second half. The Cavaliers simply were unable to compete against any legitimate competition other than Villanova.

This is a sign of Virginia’s great youth and inexperience. Their average Division I experience of 1.49 years (according to KenPom) ranks 229th nationally and 15th in the ACC, suggesting there will be room for improvement for the Cavaliers as the season progresses. Still, just because Virginia is playing young now, there’s no guarantee that Virginia will be more of a 40-minute team down the line.

The bottom line is that UVA needs to be more diverse on offense, stronger on defense and less prone to mistakes if Ron Sanchez’s team wants to reach .500 in the ACC this season. The bar may be low, but that’s where this team is right now.