Virginia’s depth helping its rapid climb in the AP Top 25

By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

The starting five is the same, but that’s where comparisons between the Virginia team that has climbed to No. 3 in the Top 25 and last year’s NIT quarterfinalists ends. One more year together and a trip to Italy has made the first five significantly better, but part of the credit for that surely goes to another group: the reinforcements. Transfer Ben Vander Plas and freshmen Isaac McKneely have giving coach Tony Bennett a deeper bench and more scoring options. Virginia has scored 70 points or more in its first six game for the first time since the 2003-04 season.