In its first game as a nationally-ranked team in 661 days, Virginia entered its matchup against UMES with a chance to cap off its first ten games with another decisive home win.
The Cavaliers (9-1, 0-0 ACC) handled business, defeating the Hawks (4-9, 0-0 MEAC) 84-60 thanks to a strong shooting display in the first-half. Coach Ryan Odom acknowledged in his press conference that it was not the team’s best performance, citing some rough misses and a slower second half. He added that the scouting report for UMES had led the team to expect a slower game, but the visitors attacked Virginia’s press and forced advantages, especially on the interior.
“In preparation for this game, we communicated to the guys that it was going to be a slower game,” Odom said. “And [UMES] played much faster than we were anticipating. So we had to adjust to that initially.”
Hawks Coach Cleo Hill Jr. said that he had focused his scouting on the Cavaliers’ lone loss to Butler, noting that the Bulldogs (7-2, 0-0 Big East) had found success pushing the ball up the court and matching the Cavaliers’ pressure on both ends. What his scouting could not prepare him for, was Virginia’s hot start from three.
“They were scalding hot early,” Hill Jr. said. “And we wanted to have good pressure on their shooters, good closeouts. But they have size with their shooting. All of them are 6-3 and up, and we tried to close out as best we could but they were really hot. They got some really good looks, even with defensive pressure.”
Eight of the Cavaliers’ first nine field goals came from beyond the arc, including two apiece from graduate guard Dallin Hall, junior guard Sam Lewis and freshman guard Chance Mallory. Virginia began to pull away midway through the first half, going 11-19 from distance through the first 20 minutes and leading by 14 at halftime.
The second half told a different story — shots just did not fall with the same consistency. The Cavaliers shot a measly 2-12 from three in the half, and the lead remained just in the teens for the first 10 minutes of the period.
Then freshman forward Thijs De Ridder — who had played a very quiet game up to that point — came alive. The bruising Belgian scored eight straight points, which Odom said was just a matter of motivation after having left the first half discouraged. Freshman center and fellow European Johann Grünloh had a slightly different way of explaining it.
“Sometimes you just have to go to Thijs and hit him a little bit to get him going,” Grünloh said. “But when he gets his head into the game, he’s unstoppable.”
After only taking two shots in the first half, De Ridder finished the game going 5-9 from the field for 13 points, adding six rebounds and two steals. He was the game’s second leading scorer behind Lewis, who scored an efficient 15 points with an added five rebounds and two assists.
That passing is something that has jumped in recent games for Lewis. Billed as more of a shooter, Lewis logged three total assists through Virginia’s first six games — he has since made 12 in the last four. Odom credited that to the entire team making more passes and hitting their shots too.
“Overall, our team is passing the ball better,” Odom said. “I just told them in there that this could be one of the best passing teams that I’ve ever coached. It’s easy to see that when we get away from it, all of a sudden we don’t have that success. And so we want to keep our guys in that mindset, and Sam is certainly in that mindset right now of hitting the open guy.”
Mallory pointed to how the team’s firepower as jumpshooters allows for a lot more opportunities on drives, both in attacking the rim and in exploiting help defense to hit open shooters. The freshman sensation tallied a career high six steals — the most since Ryan Dunn’s seven against Florida Nov. 10, 2023 — while also being the game’s third leading scorer with 10 and finding the open guy for five assists.
“When we’re attacking the paint with all these shooters around, they can’t really help,” Mallory said. “So it’s either we get to the rim, which we have to work on finishing, but if we get to the rim and they help, it’s a kick-out.”
Now 10 games into the season, the team is beginning to find its footing as one of the best offensive teams in the country. Odom said he is beginning to get an idea of who everyone is and what the team is capable of, but needs to see them in more high-pressure situations too.
Fortunately, Odom and the Cavaliers now have a nine-day break before their next game, after three in just six days with two having been on the road. Odom said he is excited about the opportunity to get some work done midseason, and noted that having that break during the exam period will allow players to use practice as a sort of release and improve on both sides of the ball.
“We need to force more turnovers, we need to not foul quite as much and we need to defensive rebound,” Odom said. “Those three things are areas that we’re constantly working on. A lot of that has to do with positioning and being solid, I thought we had some instances tonight where we did a nice job.”
Then, on Dec. 20, Virginia will host a middling Maryland team with a couple of familiar faces. Helmed by former Virginia Tech Coach Buzz Williams, the Terrapins (6-4, 0-1 Big Ten) also feature a former Cavalier in senior forward Elijah Saunders, who started 26 games for Virginia last season. Maryland is 1-4 against high-major level opponents, with losses to Georgetown, No. 8 Gonzaga, No. 12 Alabama and Iowa. They are a disciplined team that gets to the line with regularity while limiting opposition free throw attempts, led by high-flying senior forward Pharrel Payne who is averaging 18 points and seven rebounds to start the season.
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