In the past, Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio would pick the brain of Tony Bennett and his father, Dick Bennett, about the nuances of the Pack Line defensive scheme that Dick invented.
The Bennetts were glad to oblige. Exchanging notes and video was a common occurrence between members of the Washington State and Wake Forest coaching staffs.
“That was before I knew I was coming to Virginia,” said Bennett, with a laugh, during a teleconference on Thursday.
Today, Virginia and Wake Forest meet in “The Battle of the Pack Lines” in Winston-Salem, N.C. The squads, who employ the same defensive approach, are both on a roll.
Now, Bennett wishes he and his father weren’t quite as forthcoming.
“They’re playing [the defense] very well. I was kind of teasing my dad, ‘Why did you ever make that [video] tape?’” Bennett joked.
Virginia (12-4, 3-0 ACC) is riding an eight-game winning streak, its longest since the 2003-04 season. Wake Forest (13-4, 3-2) is coming off an impressive win at No. 23 North Carolina on Wednesday.
UVa has shocked the college basketball world by winning its first three league games, but a true test awaits today. The Cavaliers, quite frankly, don’t match up with the ultra-athletic Demon Deacons. But, then again, the same thing was true of Georgia Tech, which Virginia defeated 10 days ago.
Virginia’s first task will be trying to get a handle on Wake floor general Ishmael Smith.
“I think Dino had said that from endline to endline he’s faster than Chris Paul or [Jeff] Teague,” said Bennett, referring to the former Wake guards. “That kind of struck me like, ‘Wow, that’s fast!’”
Smith, time and again, victimized UNC with his speed. When he wasn’t getting all the way to the rim for layups, he was setting up teammates for easy looks.
Virginia freshman Jontel Evans will likely get first crack at defending Smith, but Bennett said it will be a team effort.
UVa will have to try and make Smith, a 24-percent 3-point shooter, beat them from the outside.
“You have to try and wall him off and not let him get to that paint as easily as he makes it look,” Bennett said. “I don’t think you can say one guy is just going to lock him up and shadow him and that’s it — your team defense has to try and work against him and certainly be mindful that there are other weapons.”
They include future NBA stud Al-Farouq Aminu, experienced big man Chas McFarland and talented freshmen C.J. Harris and Ari Stewart.
“I was impressed with their completeness [against UNC],” Bennett said. “It didn’t look like there were a lot of weaknesses.”
Dunks
Wake leads the all-time series, 66-59, including a 38-13 mark in Winston-Salem. ... In the only meeting last season, Wake won, 70-60, in Charlottesville. ... The Demon Deacons have won the last seven meetings in Winston-Salem and the last three overall. Virginia is looking for its first win in Winston-Salem since 2000.
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