Virginia men’s basketball battled — and survived — a gritty, physical road test Saturday, holding off SMU 72–68 in a game that came down to clutch free throws, offensive rebounding and timely plays. The No. 16 Cavaliers (16-2, 5-1 ACC) persevered after an early punch from the Mustangs (13-5, 2-3 ACC), turning the game into a possession-by-possession fight in the final minutes to secure the Quad 1 road win.
SMU took control and set the tone early, opening the game with 9-for-13 shooting from the field while Virginia struggled at a measly 4-for-11. In the first half, the Cavaliers allowed offensive rebounds that led to kick-out three-pointers, which lost them a significant amount of hustle plays, giving the Mustangs control of the momentum.
Seven-foot-two Turkish sophomore center Samet Yiğitoğlu established himself early inside against a Virginia team that was the third-best shot-blocking team in the country coming into this game, creating problems in the paint and helping SMU take a seven-point lead early in the first half.
“[SMU] got off to a great start against us, and we were kind of on our heels at the beginning of the game,” Coach Ryan Odom said. “But over the course of the game, our guys settled in, played a little bit more freely, the defense picked up a little bit and we made them take … harder shots.”
The Cavaliers were slowly able to steady themselves thanks to elite three-point shooting from graduate guard Malik Thomas. Thomas shot 4-for-6 from downtown in the first half to keep Virginia within striking distance and allowed them to take the lead late in the opening period. Despite missing numerous point-blank layups, the Cavaliers began to completely shift the rebounding battle, converting nine offensive rebounds to 13 second-chance points in the first half.
Thomas finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, recording the second double-double of his collegiate career. He delivered this afternoon’s performance with a deeper personal motivation — in tribute to his sister, Chanel, who tragically passed away in 2023.
“I want to shout out my sister,” Thomas said. “It’s her birthday. Rest in peace.”
Malik Thomas came out of the locker room right where he left off, opening the second half with a bucket from beyond the arc on a broken, wild possession. SMU later responded with a 9-0 run to retake the lead with 13 minutes left in the game — so the Cavaliers adjusted by ramping up their physicality and defensive intensity. After his strong start, Yiğitoğlu was almost a non-factor the rest of the way, finishing just 3-for-11 from the field.
All eyes were on the matchup between Mustangs star senior guard Boopie Miller and Virginia true freshman guard Chance Mallory. Before today, Miller had been averaging over 20 points and seven assists for the season. But when Mallory rolled into the Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas, things became different. Mallory’s ball pressure seemingly disrupted Miller’s usual rhythm, finishing 4-for-12 from the field with 12 points, his lowest of the season.
“I thought we just encouraged our guys, number one, not to foul him,” Odom said. “That's the key. You have to keep [Boopie Miller] off the free-throw line. And I thought our guys did a solid job with that.”
The final 10 minutes slowed into a sloppy, “who-wants-it-most” type of game, with every possession feeling like it could be the one that wins the game. Mallory delivered one of the game’s biggest hustle plays — plays that the Cavaliers seemed to be lacking most of the game — with a late offensive rebound and putback layup. With SMU threatening to tie or retake the lead, Belgian freshman forward Thijs de Ridder secured a clutch offensive rebound off a missed three with 10 seconds remaining and hit two dagger free throws to seal the deal after a lackluster first half.
“Can you get the stop when you need it? Can you get the bucket when you need it?” Odom said. “I thought our guys just did really well with that tonight.”
Virginia’s 16 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points proved to be the deciding factor in a game that demanded toughness and composure. That physical display and ability to win possession battles down the stretch could prove critical as the Cavaliers position themselves for the ACC tournament and work to strengthen their NCAA Tournament résumé as March rapidly approaches.
“Every win on the road is like gold,” Odom said. “This particular group understands that. If you want to compete at the highest level of the ACC and compete for a championship, you have to win games on the road. The eventual champion will do that.”
Jan. 24 at 2 p.m., Virginia will face its toughest opponent of the year — an old rival, No. 14 North Carolina (14-3, 2-2 ACC), at John Paul Jones Arena. The Cavaliers will need to limit 6-foot-10 freshman forward Caleb Wilson, an NBA projected lottery pick, and junior 7-foot center Henri Veesaar to prevent the Tar Heels from controlling the game inside, where their size, length and scoring touch can quickly shift the momentum. The match will be streamed on ESPN.
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