CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The story goes that as the final seconds ticked away and Wisconsin was headed toward yet another win, assistant coach Brad Soderberg glanced over at Dick Bennett and saw a tear leaking from his boss’s eye. Alarmed, Soderberg asked what could possibly be wrong.



“It doesn’t get any better than that kind of defense,’’ Bennett replied.



Tony Bennett erupts in laughter after delivering the punchline. He is in his office, suit jacket off and tie loosened, retelling the story just minutes after his second-ranked Virginia team had bisected, dissected and essentially eviscerated Clemson with a defensive performance that surely could make a grown man weep. Eleven minutes into Tuesday night’s game, the Tigers were on pace to score 74 points. They finished with 36.



For the record, Tony did not well up during the game. He does admit, albeit sheepishly, that he can almost — almost — understand...