Virginia’s defense has been limiting opponents to season lows in scoring

This week, the Virginia Cavaliers went down to Blacksburg and held a Virginia Tech Hokies offense that had averaged 86 points a game to just 52 points. That is an amazing 34 points below Hokies’ average. In their previous game, UVA limited Boston College to 18 points below their average, Hampton was 28 below, and Savannah State was 31. All season long the Hoos’ stingy defense had held opponents to at least 10 points below their average, but it goes even further.

As shown in the chart below, Virginia has held ten of their fourteen opponents to their lowest point total of the season. The other four opponents were held to their second lowest output.

UVA has held every one of their opponents to their fewest or second fewest point totals of the season. In particular, Wisconsin only scored 37 points against UVA, with their next lowest being 55 to Temple and a season average of 70. These teams will face other tough defenses later in the season, and might put up an even lower total, but at this moment it is an impressive feat for the vaunted Virginia defense.

The Hoos defense will need to keep up the stinginess with the 25th ranked Tar Heels offense coming into Charlottesville next.