Diane's Senior Moment

CHARLOTTESVILLE, March 8 -- Mamadi Diane was carried onto the court by his teammates before Saturday's game against Maryland and carried off the court by those very teammates. In between, the Virginia senior played the most memorable game of his career in his final appearance at John Paul Jones Arena.

The former DeMatha standout concluded a turbulent regular season with a season-high 23 points, including a game-winning three-pointer with 38 seconds remaining in the Cavaliers' 68-63 upset of the Terrapins.

"It was a much bigger moment than just how I played," Diane said. "It was the culmination of four years."

After starting most of his career, Diane had lost his starting job and experienced a rapid decline in minutes. He played just three minutes in Virginia's last game. Coach Dave Leitao told Diane on Friday that the senior would start in honor of a good career. Leitao said they were going to "take it from there". Diane scored Virginia's first two points with an early jump shot, and Leitao witnessed body language that suggested Diane was comfortable and confident.

Diane ended up playing 34 minutes -- his most in a season when he had been averaging only 16.

'"Whatever time I get," Diane told himself before the game, "I'm going to play as hard as I can."

It was not Diane's first shot, but instead his final shot that will remain the lasting memory. With the score tied at 61 in the final minute, Sylven Landesberg passed to Diane at the top of the three-point arc.

"When that three-pointer went up, the first thing I said to myself was one, 'that's poetic justice' and the second, it's been said -- and isn't exactly -- that 'God works in mysterious ways,'" Leitao said. "No better way to finish off one's career, season -- however good or however frustrating -- with a performance like that."

Diane admitted being frustrated by his diminished role, but Leitao said Saturday that Diane had neither stopped practicing hard nor trying to work his way into the rotation.

"He's handled not playing, frustration, and all that, as well as a young person can," Leitao said. "He's been very, very mature about it. We've talked about it some, sometimes we don't -- as much as it can be addressed. He's been forthright and honest. It's never been an issue as far as that goes, whatsoever."

Diane said Saturday helped make up for the disappointing season. The only thing more he could have wanted was two more points, which would have given him 1,000 points in his career. In the huddle, Diane's teammates were counting down to 1,000.

But as Diane quickly considered the 998 points in his career -- which included 25 points in his first ever game at John Paul Jones Arena -- he said it will be Saturday's final game against his hometown team that he will remember most.

"I've had games where I shot a better percentage, made more points," Diane said, "but this is definitely the highlight."