Now entering the last stretch of the regular season, Virginia stands at a crossroads. What began as an exciting, explosive 6-0 run to start conference play has since mellowed out, defined by turbulent wins and hard-fought losses.
Virginia (15-6, 7-3 ACC) ranks No. 6 in the ACC, providing a crucial opportunity for the Cavaliers to climb in the standings over Virginia Tech. The Commonwealth Clash, kicking off Sunday, rarely needs extra motivation — the deep-rooted rivalry is more than enough — but this year’s contest comes at a time when the Cavaliers are fighting to carve out a path to the postseason.
Virginia is stepping into the match-up coming off a triple overtime thriller at Wake Forest, a game the squad narrowly survived after blowing an 18-point lead during regulation. But against the Hokies, the Cavaliers will need a more complete performance to leave Blacksburg with a victory.
Over the past two seasons, the teams have split wins. In the 2025 season, both teams won in their opponent’s arena, while each squad won in their own arena in the 2024 season. Of course, this season the Cavaliers hope to clinch both Commonwealth Clashes, a feat that Virginia has not accomplished since the 2017-2018 season.
Virginia Tech (17-5, 7-3 ACC) has had an impressive season, its offense displaying versatility and ability to control the tempo, disrupting rhythms and forcing turnovers — schemes bound to present a challenge for Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton’s team. The Hokies have leaned on a balanced attack all season, with multiple players displaying the potential to step up on any given night. Their offense averages 74.5 points per game with a balanced scoring effort, entering this game on a six-game win streak.
That said, two of Virginia Tech’s defining losses have come from mediocre teams — James Madison and Miami. The overtime loss to the Hurricanes was especially poor, blowing an 18-point third-quarter lead to a team that resides at the bottom of the ACC due to lackluster defense. Beyond the losses, the Hokies often struggle to get into an offensive rhythm in the first half, forcing them to play catch-up in late-game situations.
So, for the Cavaliers, there is room to exploit Hokie errors, but they must manage the controllables to secure a win. Three keys could dictate the game’s outcome.
Fast start
Virginia must set the tone early. Like the Hokies, the Cavaliers often find themselves defined by slow starts, missing easy shots or suffering sloppy turnovers. In a match-up as tight as this one, Virginia needs to come out of the gate with intensity and urgency — either driving into the paint or setting up high-percentage shots.
Cohesive offense
Virginia Tech is going to make it a point to smother junior guard Kymora Johnson. Johnson, who is averaging nearly 19 points per game, is a threat to the Hokies, but she cannot carry the team alone. The Cavaliers must have multiple players step up, such as senior forward Tabitha Amanze or junior forward Sa’Myah Smith, crashing the glass in the paint to create a defensive struggle and capitalize on transition offense.
Minimize turnovers and maximize free throws
Turnovers can be lethal against a team like Virginia Tech, which thrives on converting mistakes into points. Though Virginia can struggle at times to protect the ball — averaging nearly 15 turnovers per game — heightened discipline can prevent the Hokies from running away with the game. Additionally, the Cavaliers must be able to capitalize on their free throws. Currently, Virginia Tech is averaging 16.6 personal fouls per game, giving Virginia ample opportunities to collect easy points.
Ultimately, the century-long rivalry match-up is bound to be thrilling, and Virginia has 40 minutes to play their best basketball. Tip-off begins at 2:00 pm Sunday in Cassell Coliseum on ACCNX.
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