News-Record.com

It's sad irony for Virginia coach Pete Gillen that it was the excitement he'd created, reviving UVa's program and getting the Cavs to the NCAA tournament in 2001, that got plans rolling for a new, 15,000-seat basketball arena across the street from decrepit U-Hall. It's that half-completed building that will likely be his downfall.

UVa AD Craig Littlepage said this week the school needs its basketball teams on an upswing to keep the donations coming in for the $130 million project and to sell tickets in an arena with nearly twice the seating capacity of U-Hall. Mostly, that means the UVa men can't be losing at home to Miami and losing at home to Wake by 19 and to UNC by 36 -- Saturday's loss to the Heels could've been a lot worse, by the way -- and going a fourth straight year without an NCAA trip.

Gillen has six years left on a 10-year contract, but that deal has reportedly been restructured, so a buyout might not be as costly as it once would've been. Especially when the implications of moving into a new arena in 2006 are weighed against it.

Visiting coaches have offered public support after beating Gillen this year, but their words are sounding more and more like eulogies.

Take Roy Williams, for instance.

"He's one of the gentleman in the coaching profession," Williams said after the Heels' 110-76 drubbing of Gillen's team Saturday, "and not only is he one of the gentleman, he's a guy that everybody respects a great deal and that does a great job of coaching. You can look at his record year after year after year, and what he's been able to accomplish at Xavier, at Providence and here. It's a very difficult time period for him."

While injuries have played a big part in Gillen's current woes, and his past disappointments -- remember how good Majestic Mapp was before his knee surgeries? -- something's not right with the program when you've had 14 players leave with eligibility remaining in seven years.