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Virginia will announce shortly that Dave Leitao is out as men's basketball coach, a school spokesman confirmed.

A news release will say that Leitao resigned but it was UVa's decision that he not return.

I've gone on record as saying that Virginia will not resolve the problems with its men's basketball program by getting rid of the assistants.

That said, I believe that two men who would be willing to discuss a return to Charlottesville would be retired former Wake Forest and South Carolina head coach Dave Odom and recently ousted Boston University head coach Dennis Wolff.

In more than 30 years of covering UVa basketball, Odom and Wolff are the two best assistants with which I have had the pleasure of dealing.

I also would find a place somewhere in the organization for current radio analyst Cory Alexander. He does not come from a coaching background but would provide a much needed infusion of charisma,

At 9 a.m. church today, I was greeted by staunch UVa fan and graduate Jim Bowden.

He asked me, "Do you know what the record of UVa's spring sports teams is?"

I was trying to collect my thoughts when he added, "men's sports teams ... it's 40-0." Read more »

Earlier this week, I wrote that Virginia men's basketball coach Dave Leitao is "safe" and will return "from all indications" in 2009-2010

Frankly, right now, I'm not convinced the case is closed.

Virginia's lackluster play Thursday in a 76-63 loss to Boston College in the first round of the ACC Tournament has reopened the debate as to whether four-year coach Leitao is the best person to take the program forward.

Stay posted.

DD

ATLANTA -- The Virginia men's basketball season came to a merciful close Thursday night as sixth-seeded Boston College defeated 11th-seeded UVa 76-63 in the first round of the ACC Tournament at the Georgia Dome.

On a night when UVa's Calvin Baker held high-scoring Tyrese Rice to one field goal, sophomore Rakim Sanders had 25 points to lead the Eagles (22-10). Senior Mamadi Diane had a team-high 24 points for the Cavaliers (10-18). Read more »

Statistics show that no ACC men's basketball team shoots 3-pointers as poorly as Virginia.

The Cavaliers are worst in 3-point shooting in all games (31.1 percent) and worst in ACC games only (32.0 percent).

You never would have believed it to watch the Cavaliers at their pre-ACC Tournament shootaround Wednesday at the Georgia Dome. Read more »

This week's Roaonke Times SportsCast is now showing at its roanoke.com site.

Doug Doughty and special guest Mark Berman discuss the outlook for Virginia Tech and Virginia's men's basketball teams at the ACC Tournament.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Mamadi Diane had a Senior Day that will go down as one of the most dramatic for a Virginia men's basketball player, hitting a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to give the Cavaliers a 68-63 victory over Maryland.

Diane, averaging 4.1 points for the season, finished with a season-high 23 points in 34 minutes. Virginia (10-17 overall, 4-12) had lost four games in a row and 12 of its previous 14. Maryland (18-12, 7-9) led by as many as 13 points, 21-8, after UVa missed 14 of its first 17 shots.

--DOUG DOUGHTY

You know what I was thinking while I was watching Virginia men’s basketball recruit Tristan Spurlock miss 10 consecutive shots Wednesday at North Cross?

He’ll fit right in.

Then, Spurlock scored eight points in the final 3 ½ minutes and completely altered my impression of him. Spurlock’s Springfield-based Word of Life team beat North Cross 65-56. Read more »

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Virginia failed to score more than 60 points for the third game in a row Tuesday in a 76-57 loss at Clemson.

UVa (9-17 overall, 3-12 ACC) now has lost four games in a row, 12 of the last 14 and a total of 33 over the past two seasons -- its high since 1966-68.

And, it's the same story every game. The Cavaliers had seven assists and 15 turnovers Tuesday, they had nine assists and 17 turnovers Saturday in a 70-60 loss to Wake Forest and they had eight assists and 16 turnovers last Tuesday in a 62-55 loss to Miami.

Teams should aspire to have twice as many assists as turnovers, not the opposite.

Blame it on the point guards, if you want, but I wonder about the soundness of Ua's offensive system.

DD