Virginia had the difficult task of playing two ranked teams while grieving a tragedy that shook the Cavaliers and the rest of their campus.
Playing a week after three football players were shot to death on a bus, Virginia won the Continental Tire Main Event in Las Vegas over No. 16 Illinois after taking down No. 7 Baylor. The wins vaulted the Cavaliers from No. 16 to fifth in The Associated Press Top 25 released Monday.
"It feels great in the moment, but more so now, we know what truly matters," Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. "When you have a momentary celebration like this, it enables you to enjoy it and it seems to matter, but in the big picture, it doesn't.