Two days before the three-year anniversary of the lowest point that UVa basketball has ever hit—which in turn set up a redemption story for the ages—Tony Bennett sat down to do a post-Selection Show media availability like no other.

Rather than spending time around his players as Greg Gumbel unveiled the brackets and called out the names of the various schools, Bennett was forced to “meet” with his guys the same way he’s done every press conferences this year.

“This is the first time that I haven’t been able to be with my team and watch the Selection Show,” he said. “That’s [always] kind of a cool thing.”

But first, Bennett read a text he received while he was on his way to JPJ. It came from Ronnie Wideman, a long-time staffer who serves as UVa’s associate athletics director for men’s basketball administration/operations.

“He said, ‘What a journey. Back in October, I thought there’s no chance we’d get here.’ He said, ‘Seventy two hours ago, our chances of getting our name called out were very bleak, we didn’t know. Here we are. And we’ve got a chance.’

“Reading that put it into perspective,” Bennett added before being bombarded with questions about tests and protocols and timing and what exactly one can do to prepare for the NCAA Tournament when they can’t practice.

Now, a day after that aforementioned anniversary, most of the Cavaliers remain in isolation for another day or so in hopes of continuing to test negative and make their way to Indianapolis and eventually Bloomington for a first-round matchup against Ohio.

To borrow from The Grateful Dead, what a long, strange trip these last three years have been.

Speaking of anniversaries, it’s been a long year period. From being forced to watch as the ACC Tournament was canceled before they ever saw the floor to then being forced to leave the same event last week after a buzzer-beating 3 sent them to the semifinals, it’s been….a lot.

Very few programs, regardless of the pandemic, can say they’ve ever been through the rollercoaster ride of the past few seasons.

The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee certainly did UVa a favor by gifting the Hoos a Saturday night game. But in matching them against Ohio, one could argue they made things even. There’s a reason the Bobcats, led by NBA Draft hopeful Jason Preston, are seen by many as a trendy choice in bracket pools everywhere.

But if there’s anything being on this beat has taught me in recent years it’s that conventional wisdom doesn’t always compute. From UMBC to the comebacks it took to win the title to Virginia’s 2020 team winning eight in a row to this year’s group finding a way to take home another regular-season crown, maybe conventional wisdom is misguided.

What will be will be even when it doesn’t make any sense.

So maybe UVa, unable to practice for basically the entire week, will come out rusty on Saturday night in Assembly Hall. Maybe the Cavaliers won’t even get there. Maybe by the time you reach this point in this column, the whole thing’s been called off.

Perspective, though, says to appreciate the chance. To appreciate the way guys responded three years ago. To appreciate the way they made plays the following March (and April no less). To appreciate the grit of 2020…and the heartbreak of cancellation. To appreciate, as Bennett called it the other weekend, the chance at a “title fight.”

And, if it works out this week, despite whatever outcome may unfold, the chance to be “back.”

The NCAA Tournament is a watershed moment for me. I remember covering my first one. I remember driving a whole bunch of hours years later to watch the Hoos get pasted in Orlando and being happy to do it. I remember the way those interviews felt in Charlotte. I remember the angst of the early afternoon in Minneapolis and the euphoria that came before the dawn.

This whole thing is a gift.

You appreciate it more when it’s been gone. Or when it’s on the precipice.

We should appreciate it now while we’ve still got that chance. And appreciate it no matter where the strange trip takes us next.