Evan Nolte made 17 3-pointers in the 2013/2014 season, his sophomore season at the University of Virginia. Cavalier fans remember two of those 3s very well.

No. 1 seed Virginia was in a tight contest with upset-minded Coastal Carolina in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. With the game tied at 47 inthe second half, the Nolte came off the bench and drained consecutive 3s, jumpstarting a 23-7 run that ultimately led to a 70-59 win.

Nolte sparked his team once again in last Saturday’s home and regular season finale against Louisville. UVA led 2-0 over three minutes into the contest before the 6’8”, 228-pound senior nailed back-to-back 3s, energizing the John Paul Jones Arena crowd and giving the Cavaliers an 8-0 lead that then ballooned to a 13-1 advantage. Virginia ultimately earned a convincing 68-46 win over the Cardinals.

“It’s good because you kind of help get [the home atmosphere] revved up,” Nolte said, reflecting on his play in last Saturday’s game, his last in John Paul Jones Arena. “It’s so loud in there and then hopefully that leads to another basket or two and then a defensive stop. I don’t think of it as, ‘Oh, I’m starting this run,’ but being a part of it is fun.”

Prior to the Louisville game, Nolte, a starter in 11 games his junior year, had started only one contest so far in his senior season. Against Louisville he got the starting nod alongside fellow seniors Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill and Mike Tobey. In the game’s final minutes he took court with those three as well as senior walk-on Caid Kirven.

From beginning to end, Saturday’s experience was a memorable one for the Milton (GA) native.

“It is hard to describe. I don’t even know what to say. I mean, it is just awesome,” said Nolte, who was cheered on by his father, mother, brother, sister and grandmother on Saturday. “This is one of those things for me, it kind of hit me like a week or two ago that I am not going to be back here, but when Caid [Kirven] let that ball go, I thought, ‘This cannot be true. It is too good to be true,’ and it went in and it took me back to Thomas Rogers. Obviously, we did not win the regular season like in that game, but it was so awesome, and with [Mike] Tobey’s game and Malcolm [Brogdon] and [Anthony Gill], it was really cool.”

“All in all, it was kind of a fairy tale going-out win,” Nolte concluded.

Nolte entered UVA having helped Milton High School to state championships in 2010 and 2012, earning 2012 Georgia AAAAA Player of the Year honors as a senior. He made 42-of-108 3s (38.9 percent) and started nine games his first year at UVA. Nolte had a solid sophomore season that included the aforementioned clutch performance in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. As a junior he started 11 games and helped UVA continue its winning ways with Justin Anderson sidelined in the latter part of the regular season.

Nolte’s high basketball IQ and effort have always there for Virginia. He has, however, experienced struggles from beyond the arc the past two seasons. Nolte made only 27.6-percent of his 3s in 2014/2015 and the funk continued this year, as he connected on only 2-of-15 tries in Virginia’s first 21 games. Before UVA hosted Boston College on February 3, Nolte had not made a 3 since the George Washington game on November 16.

Nolte went 1-of-4 from 3 against the Eagles, though, and has made 4-of-10 ever since.

“Staying ready, when you get to this many years you know that there’s going to be highs and lows of playing time and how well you do and things like that,” Nolte said. “I honestly think being able to have people you can go to and hang out with and kind of be away from basketball can help you kind of reset, and when you come to the gym the next day you’re ready to go. Life isn’t defined with how you’re doing or how much playing time you have. You have to come every day. You have to believe in yourself a lot, because if you don’t believe in yourself in those low times you’re not going toget back up.”

Perhaps some more postseason magic lies ahead for Nolte, whose confidence has returned as the Hoos head into the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.

“Before I got the little hiccup with the injury, I felt my confidence was very high,” said Nolte, who sat out Virginia’s February 22 loss to Miami with a foot injury. “I think it’s back to that point because I think it took a game or two to come back from the foot injury. It’s just having the confidence to shoot it. Just shooting it like I always do in practice.”

More with Evan Nolte

Nolte discussed the following after the Louisville win…

The biggest thing he learned from Coach Bennett and the UVA staff in his time at UVA…

“I think the biggest thing is humility, which I think is the most important. He says a lot of times, ‘The work ethic part is an entry fee to play college basketball,’ so that’s part of it but that’s something everybody has for the most part. Just staying humble and not rushing to judgement on certain things, which I think is extremely important. For example, if we lose to a team he’s not going to rush to judgement and just start going off and screaming. He’ll watch the tape and assess it and move on from there. I think that’s a really important lesson that I’ve learned,” Nolte said.

UVA going undefeated at home for the first time since 1981-1982…

“It means a lot. We really take pride in the home court and we really think that our defensethrives on the energy that’s brought with all the fans. It’s not only representative of our defense and the way we play, but also the fans that really get us revved up,” Nolte said.

Starting out focused against Louisville…

“I was playing the wing and I started guarding Lee, so I had to be on my game so I didn’t get subbed out quick. It was cool just to start out,” Nolte said.

The team overcoming some struggles this season and what that could mean in postseason play…

“I think when you get the kinks out earlier in the season they don’t come out late in the season. We struggled and we learned from it, which was the most important thing about that, and I think we’ll be better off going into the next couple weeks,” Nolte said.

The support of the fans, who have chanted his name at times this season…

“It means a lot when supporters are chanting your name. You’ve gone through some ups and downs in the season and people are genuinely happy for you. Sometimes I don’t hear it, but [against Louisville] I did. I was just trying to soak it all in,” Nolte said.

Coach Bennett’s on-court speech to the team following the Louisville win…

“You look around and you see the lights are on. The lights usually aren’t on in the upper deck. You look at everyone, you’re just thanking all the supporters, and you kind of realize this is something I’ve been a part of and help build a program that is where we are today. It makes you proud, but also kind of humbles you,” Nolte said.

If the Hoos are peaking at the right time…

“In terms of the season, I think right now we’re coming together and I think that it’s the right time. I’m excited for the postseason, but we have to keep our heads down. Gotta turn the page and look forward to the tournament,” Nolte said.