Virginia's Grit Shines Despite ACC Title Game Loss to Duke
In a thrilling showdown in Charlotte, Virginia narrowly missed out on the ACC title, falling to Duke. But if Saturday night proved anything, it’s that the Cavaliers are nipping at the heels of the nation’s top team.
“Our guys stood tall,” Virginia coach Ryan Odom reflected. “We didn’t get the win, but Duke made the plays they needed down the stretch. We had our chances when it was tied, but it just didn’t go our way today.”
This wasn’t the same Virginia team that faced Duke earlier in the season. Back then, they were blown out.
This time, they came out swinging, with a 10-0 run early on that put them ahead 12-6. Duke, meanwhile, struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 29% in the first half compared to their previous 61.5% performance.
Virginia’s early aggression and confidence kept them within striking distance, avoiding a repeat of the previous 15-point deficit.
“There’s a silver lining in how we improved,” said Devin Tillis. “We’re still growing.”
Big man Ugonna Onyenso echoed this sentiment. “We’re going to live to fight another day. This was a good test for us.”
Guard Dallin Hall added, “We’ve grown a lot this year. Tonight showed that.
Duke’s a great team, but our coaches prepared us well. We feel like we have unfinished business heading into March Madness.”
In a game where details made the difference, Duke edged out Virginia on the boards, out-rebounding them 40-31. “We’ve just got to do it,” Tillis said about rebounding. “We had some lapses.”
Virginia had opportunities in the second half but went cold for over four minutes, allowing Duke to go on an 8-2 run. “Winning is in the margins,” said guard Malik Thomas. “We needed to be more aggressive on the 50/50 balls and rebounds.”
Onyenso was a standout, not just in this game but throughout the ACC tournament. The 7-foot center set a tournament record with 21 blocks over three games, including nine against Duke.
Duke’s Cam Boozer struggled, shooting 3-for-17 and finishing with a season-low 13 points, well below his average of 22.5 points per game. “I got frustrated,” Boozer admitted.
“But props to him [Onyenso]. He’s a great defender.”
Virginia’s defense tightened significantly in the second half, a testament to their growth. “We focused more on personnel,” Tillis explained. “Ugo led the charge, and his energy was infectious.”
As they await their NCAA Tournament seeding, the Cavaliers are hungry for more. “We’ve got unfinished business,” Thomas said.
“We’re confident heading into March Madness. Learning from these details will be key.”
Tillis summed it up: “This one’s gonna sting, but we’ve done great things this year. The season’s not over. We’re ready to show we can compete with anybody.”