A year ago disaster struck. Millions witnessed the best men’s college basketball team in the country have a total meltdown. I watched in horror as my mighty University of Virginia Cavaliers experienced the biggest upset ever in the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. UVA lost to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Retrievers by 20 points. How in the world did they lose that game?
The game was not even close
I will say it again – UVA lost to UMBC by 20 points!! Many expected UVA to rally and win like the Louisville game I described in a previous post. It did not happen. The game only got worse and worse in the final few minutes. Like other alum, I turned off the television and went to bed shocked at what had just happened.
We lost by 20? We lost by 20. By 20 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That pretty much sums it up itself.
Devon Hall, Guard on the UVA basketball team
There are always surprises in March Madness
Upsets are common in the NCAA tournament. They happen every year. But, this loss was different. The top-seeded team lost in the first round to the lowest-seeded team. I will say that again – the #1 team lost to the #16 seeded team in the bracket. As we all now know a #1 team had never lost to a #16 seeded team before…in the history of the tournament.
It was a blowout of epic proportions
What in the world happened? What caused this historic loss? In this post, I will explain why they lost and what we can learn from the game. For leaders, some of the best lessons come from when things go horribly wrong.
Who has never tasted what is bitter does not know what is sweet.
German Proverb
Most college basketball games are close up until the end
It is somewhat rare that a college basketball team is losing by so many points that they do not have a chance to win. Do blowouts happen? Sure, but many games are won in the last minute. The NCAA tournament is well known for its last-second victories. They happen every year. It is one reason so many fans watch the games. They are usually exciting up to the end. In this game, the last minute did not matter. The unprecedented upset was completed well before the final whistle.
There are many reasons a sports team loses
In all sports, a team can lose for many reasons. In basketball, it is important that a team play well on both offense and defense. Coaching philosophy and strategy seem to matter a lot. Most of the best teams in the country have the best coaches. UVA falls into this category. Shooting free throws can make a difference, especially in the final minutes. Keeping your players out of foul trouble is also important. Many factors go into determining whether a college basketball team wins or loses. Great coaches pay attention to all these factors as the game progresses so that they can position their team for the win.
Life is not much different when it comes to winning
I believe that the same is true in life, especially in business. There are many reasons your team will win or lose. You may have a bad strategy. You may not be a good leader yet. Your team may perform poorly when it matters most. Your competitors may simply be better than you and your team. They may have a superior product, a lower price, or a better plan. The list goes on. As a leader, it is important to learn from your losses so that you do not repeat the same mistakes over and over. A leader who loses and fails to learn from his mistakes will eventually be replaced by someone who knows how to win. It is the reality we face as leaders. Win or the organization will move on to a new leader.
Why did the UVa Cavaliers lose to the UMBC Retrievers?
There are many reasons that UVa failed to beat UMBC. They lost a key player to an injury a few days before which drew much attention. I am not convinced being down one player is why they stumbled. Instead, I believe that UVA lost badly for three specific reasons. All three of them relate directly to leadership. I admire Coach Tony Bennett for his leadership philosophy, coaching prowess and ability to win. But, he did not perform well as the leader in this situation. He admitted the same after the game.
1. They failed to adjust their plan when it was not working
UVa looked good at first. They opened up a nice lead and seemed to be cruising along despite missing a key player. Trouble started to show. UMBC tied the game by halftime. The score was low which is not unusual. UVa’s defense is known for keeping the score low. Something happened after halftime. UMBC caught fire, scoring a lot of three-point shots. UVa was unable to respond. They struggled to score and the gap widened. Their plan was not working, and Coach Bennett did not make any major adjustments. He kept the team playing the same defense and offense, despite the fact it was not working. His unwillingness to change the plan cost them dearly as the game progressed.
2. They did not solve the biggest challenge
UVa is usually able to keep the score low, and the game close. They are not a good come from behind team, and they know it. This game was different. They were unable to stop UMBC from scoring. It was no great mystery how the other team was scoring so many points. UMBC was drilling three-point shots. One of their players, in particular, Jairus Lyles, was having the game of his life. Every shot he took seemed to score. UVa did little to adjust the defense to stop him from scoring. Jarius ended the game with 28 points, twice as many as any other UMBC player. UVa failed to solve the biggest challenge – UMBC’s ability to score three-point shots.
3. They did not pick up the pace when it was needed
Things got worse as the second-half progressed. With ten minutes left in the game, UVa was losing by 16 points which is a lot. It was time to rally, time to pick up the pace. They kept playing the same offense. There was a little more sense of urgency, but not the kind you would expect to see when a #1 team is losing to the #16 by 16 points with only ten minutes left. Was there plenty of time left in the game? Sure. I am simply pointing out that sometimes a team needs to pick up the pace a lot to win. If you are losing badly the last thing you should do is act like everything is fine. In this case, it was not. The situation did not improve. It got worse.
The worst losses happen when you are expected to win
Losing sucks. I do not know any leader who enjoys losing. If I did I would recommend he or she stop leading and become a follower. The most difficult losses happen when you are expected to win. That is what happened to UVa. The game was supposed to be a cakewalk for them. They probably thought that going into the game, and paid the price. They ended up losing by 20 points. It was humiliating. The #1 team in the country lost what may become known as the worst upset in NCAA tournament history.
You can avoid losing by not making the same mistakes
If you want to win as a leader it is important to learn from the mistakes of others. Make sure that you avoid this scenario. When you realize that your plan is not working – change the plan. Don’t hope that the situation will improve when you know deep in your heart that it won’t. Deal with the biggest challenges your team faces. Figure out what is causing the problems and fix them.
Pick up the pace so that your team can win, not lose
It is easy to fall into the trap of acting like everything is fine when it isn’t. I have witnessed this naive approach too many times to count during my career. Be a better leader. Next week I will go into more detail about how to avoid a historic loss for your team. You can do it, and we are here to help.
In the end, it was a remarkable season but we got thoroughly outplayed and that’s the reality of it. I hate for this team to lose like this. If you play this game and step into the arena, this stuff can happen.
Tony Bennett, UVA Head basketball coach
ATW! is designed to make you a better leader
I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!
