UVa's Sean Singletary has his jersey retired before the Cavaliers' game against Maryland on Sunday. Virginia won 91-76, and Singletary scored his 2,000th point.

Virginia's Sean Singletary (44) puts up a shot in front of Duke defenders Greg Paulus (3) and DeMarcus Nelson (21) at John Paul Jones Arena earlier this month.

It wasn't Sean Singletary's Senior Night performance that struck Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams.

It was the fact there was a Singletary Senior Night.

"I think the thing that Singletary should get the most credit for is coming back to school this year because he would have been drafted in the first round," Williams said last Sunday night following a 91-76 Virginia victory at John Paul Jones Arena.

"I really believe that."

Williams probably would get some debate on that count, but nobody could have found fault with Singletary on Sunday, when he had 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

"I can't think of a single mistake he made all night," teammate Calvin Baker said.

Singletary's fans showed their appreciation with pregame and postgame ovations. It truly was a special night for one of the most popular players to come through UVa's program.

Senior nights -- or days -- don't always have happy endings -- witness UVa's final game at University Hall, when Singletary was a sophomore in 2005. Maryland beat the Cavaliers in that game, 71-70.

Singletary single-handedly made sure that his final home game had a happy ending, but there is no guarantee that his decision to stay in college will translate into NBA millions.

Sometimes, Singletary had to wonder if anybody was paying attention, but Sunday night there was.

Singletary couldn't have known that former NBA coach of the year Rick Carlisle would be in the crowd.

"That's the first UVa game I've seen live since I played there," said Carlisle, who is working as an NBA studio analyst for ESPN. "I've always been playing and coaching.

"I saw him play against Arizona earlier in the year and he was great in that game, but I always place more weight on seeing somebody in person. You get more of a feel for the presence they have on the floor, their leadership ability and will to win.

"This guy is a tremendous player, a terrific little player. He'll be in the league. I can just tell by the way he handles himself that he's going to find a way to make a career in the NBA and be successful."

Presumably, Carlisle could be coaching in the NBA in the future.

"I'd love to have 12 guys like him on my team, guys who played with his kind of energy and unconditional commitment," said Carlisle, a senior on UVa's 1984 Final Four team. "He's just about the right things. There's no extra, excess nonsense with him. It's all about the game.

"After 23 years in the NBA, I believe that you have to have enough size and enough ability, but there are very few players that enter the NBA draft that have as big a heart as Sean Singletary."

It was heartwarming for Singletary's mother, Jacqui, to hear somebody at the next level say something kind about her son. It hasn't been the kind of year that Sean or his family had hoped for, with the Cavaliers struggling to stay at the .500 mark and almost certain not to make the NCAA Tournament.

"I felt hurt for him as well as the team and the coaches because I know the effort was there," she said. "Quite frankly, I don't want to see anyone fall short of their goals, let alone my own child.

"I think it's hurt him tremendously in that way, and I also think it has hurt him in the eyes of people who will make decisions about him at the next level. I'm not sure that a lot of people have seen him play, and they might not see him. Statistics don't tell his story."

Singletary's statistics do speak loudly, though. He is one of eight players in ACC history with 2,000 points and 500 assists, and only three of them -- Singletary and ex-Duke Blue Devils Danny Ferry and Johnny Dawkins -- also have 400 rebounds.

"It was a pretty mature move to come back," Maryland's Williams said.

"Some people say, 'Well, he might hurt himself,' but I disagree with that. The people that watch and really know his game know what he means to Virginia and tonight [was] a good example of how he gets other players involved in the game."

Virginia fans held their collective breath last spring after Singletary made himself available for the NBA draft and did not remove his name until hours before the deadline. However, the Singletary family needed to take that approach in order to get a realistic evaluation from NBA scouts.

"We knew he was going to come back," Singletary's mom said.

"He was coming back to get his degree."

By going through the NBA pre-draft camps and individual workouts last year, Singletary has a better idea what he can expect this year. He said he will benefit from having an agent.

"It was tough last year because I never knew what teams were thinking," he said.

"I couldn't hire a trainer. I wasn't able to schedule my own workouts. All in all, it was an experience I learned from."

For all of his positive observations, Carlisle can't promise Singletary that he will be a high pick or even a first-round pick.

"It's quite possible that, had he come out last year, that he would have been a higher pick than he will be now," Carlisle said, "but there's no doubt in my mind that he's a much better player this year."

If Singletary had not returned for his senior year, his final home game would have been spent watching J.R. Reynolds and Jason Cain hailed at the end of their four years.

"I think it meant a lot to him," Jacqui Singletary said. "It was very emotional because he knew that a portion of his life was coming to an end. I did worry that it might be difficult for him. I've seen Sean be anxious before, but the way he played was pretty phenomenal."

There have been other memorable Senior Nights at Virginia, most notably Ralph Sampson's game-winning stickback in 1983 and Richard Morgan's dash into the stands to hug his mother in 1989. Singletary's last dance ranks with the best.

"I think a lot of young kids will remember this night," Leitao said. "They can say, 'I was there and saw Sean get his 2,000th point.' I'm not so sure in our lifetime that we'll see a guy perform night in and night out the way he has over four years."