The Virginia Cavaliers (14-14, 7-10) had an encouraging 83-75 win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (19-9, 11-6) in Winston-Salem on Wednesday night. While the first half was more shot-for-shot with narrow point margins, the ‘Hoos sustained their lead for the duration of the game, a critical confidence boost as regular season play winds down.

Here are our four takeaways from the road win against Wake.

Isaac McKneely shot lights-out

Shots were falling for the ‘Hoos on Wednesday night. They shot a collective 55.8 percent from the field, adding to their more lively offense against Wake. Isaac McKneely lit up Winston-Salem with 27 points, followed by Dai Dai Ames’s 14.

While Ames is sort-of known for his crafty pull-up jumpers (which was an asset against Wake), McKneely showed his shot development and proved he is more than just a three-point threat. He created his own opportunities, took shots off the dribble, and hit step-backs from across the floor to secure a continued Virginia lead. His mid-range jumpers opened up the floor and made him a more dynamic player to guard.

Plus, we can’t forget the other three-point contributors: Elijah Saunders (2), Andrew Rohde (2), Tain Murray (2), and Ames (1) expanded the offensive threat beyond the arc and across the roster. With McKneely’s four, the ‘Hoos hit a collective 45.5 percent from deep.

Despite Wake’s quick 10-1 run in the second half, Virginia’s game clearly improves with the confidence of some reliable shooting.

Virginia is drawing up more cuts to the basket

Virginia’s impressive shooting was, in many respects, a product of a well-oiled offense. The ‘Hoos showed development with a clear emphasis on off-ball movement and cuts to the basket—as shown by Virginia’s 16 assists against Wake.

The first half saw a number of clean pick-and-rolls from guys like Blake Buchanan and Jacob Cofie. They didn’t always finish around the rim, but the roll towards the basket beat Wake’s defense nearly every time and exposed their weak-side help (or lack thereof).

If nothing else, the pick and roll got Bigs like Buchanan to be more scoring-minded and created more opportunities across the offense.

In fact, McKneely’s drew two defenders on a second-half drive into the paint. When he lost his dribble, Cofie cut to the block. pulling the second defender off McKneely and giving him the wiggle room to muscle up for a mid-ranger and the foul. Even when they didn’t dump the ball, movement proved to be effective for a team who suffered from stiff offense in early games.

Even when the shots don’t fall, the better looks to the basket are a good sign for Virginia offense.

The post defense felt Anthony Robinson’s absence

The narrative has flipped for Virginia. Insecurities shifted from “who’s our true point guard?” to “what’s happened in the post?”

Anthony Robinson, who has recently taken on that role in the post for Virginia, was out with a foot injury that left the Wahoo defense a step too slow.

Virginia gave up an empty lane to the basket here and there, a harder pill to swallow considering a relatively slow Wake offense. Plus, Virginia revisited the post-double team, which hasn’t gotten any tighter. The execution was noncommittal, with Virginia’s second defender often coming in too late, leaving his man to step in only half-way for the on-ball pressure.

Virginia’s frontcourt couldn’t help but tally up fouls. Buchanan, Saunders, and Cofie ended the game with four fouls each. And, even when the team is looking better, the frontcourt still couldn’t dominate on the boards (getting out-rebounded, again, 27-23).

The ‘Hoos deserve credit for how far they’ve come

Despite recent losses to Duke and North Carolina, Virginia’s season development is worth some praise.

Think back to mid-January, when the ‘Hoos suffered a six-game losing streak.

The last month has shown a renewed energy for the team. As they head into their final regular-season matchups, Virginia’s priorities are clear but more specific than the early-season chaos: rebound, defend the post, and keep moving the ball.