Crunch time nears for Landesberg, Cavs

Freshman Sylven Landesberg has played just eight games in a Virginia uniform, so he probably doesn’t realize that his explanation for the team’s latest debacle — a 58-56 home loss to Auburn on Saturday — is nothing new.

“We just have to learn from [it],” Landesberg said. “We have to learn that we can’t come out flat like [that]. We need to come out like we did in the second half at the beginning of every game.”

Well, at least Landesberg didn’t say the Wahoos were lacking “energy” — that seemingly mystical ingredient that many a UVa player has used as a reason for mediocre basketball during the last 14 months.

Tonight, the search for whatever it is that has been missing continues when Virginia (4-4) plays host to Hampton (5-4) in the team’s final tune-up — er, engine overhaul — for the ACC season. UVa travels to Georgia Tech for its conference opener on Sunday.

The Cavaliers, who have dropped three out of their last four games, will be taking on a Hampton team that is coming off a home loss to Delaware.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao will be hoping to get better decision making from point guards Calvin Baker and Sammy Zeglinski. The duo only had a turnover apiece versus the Tigers, but went a combined 6 of 22 from the field and didn’t settle the team the way Leitao would have liked.

“A lot falls on my shoulders,” said Zeglinski, who was just 1 of 8 from 3-point range. “I need to be able to get the offense into a cohesiveness.

“[The offense] has actually gotten a lot better. In practice we’ve been able to execute way better than we showed [against Auburn].”

Of course, it would also run a lot smoother if senior Mamadi Diane could snap out of his funk. Diane’s re-emergence as a scorer would put less pressure on Zeglinski and Landesberg (both freshmen) to do so.

“He’s struggling a little bit,” said Zeglinski. “As a team we have to help him get in the rhythm better — get him easier shots. He’s been struggling with his jumpshot, but he’ll bounce back and will be ready to go against [Hampton].

“I have 100 percent faith in him. He’ll definitely bounce back and be able to help the team…he’s got great character and he’ll definitely fight through this.”

Virginia will also look to get big man Mike Scott more involved in the offense. The sophomore is leading the team in shooting percentage at nearly 56 percent, but has averaged just over five shot attempts in his last three games.

Dunks

Landesberg, who had a game-high 22 points versus Auburn — his fifth 20-plus point performance — was named ACC rookie of the week for the third time this season. ... Virginia leads the all-time series with Hampton, 4-0, including a 79-65 win over the Pirates at John Paul Jones Arena last season. … Hampton has just one player scoring in double figures — 6-foot-1 junior guard Vincent Simpson. The Philadelphia native is averaging 10.4 points.