The Virginia Cavaliers arrived in Minneapolis on Wednesday, three days before the Hoos were set to take on the Auburn Tigers in the first of two semifinals in the Final Four. It’s Virginia’s first Final Four trip since 1984, and Tony Bennett’s first Final Four in his career. Over the past two weekends, the Hoos had to exorcise some demons against 16-seeded Gardner-Webb, get past Oklahoma, win a rock fight with Oregon, and outlast Purdue in one of the greatest games in March Madness history.
Every team has dealt with hardships over the course of the season, whether injuries or off-court issues, but no team has endured what Virginia has over the last 385 days.