The Virginia Cavaliers had this one in their hands-until they didn’t.
Up by 10 at halftime against No. 22 North Carolina, the No.
14 Cavaliers looked poised to stay perfect at home and keep pace near the top of the ACC standings. But a second-half surge from the Tar Heels, fueled by a pair of explosive freshmen and some costly Virginia miscues, flipped the script in a hurry.
UNC’s Caleb Wilson poured in all 20 of his points after the break, while Jarin Stevenson added 17 of his own-all in the second half-as the Tar Heels stormed back to hand Virginia its first home loss of the season. What started as a showcase of Virginia’s trademark discipline and defensive grit quickly unraveled into a game defined by missed assignments, transition breakdowns, and a sudden cold streak from beyond the arc.
Virginia’s First Half: Control and Composure
For the first 20 minutes, the Cavaliers looked like the better team. Thijs De Ridder set the tone early, attacking with confidence and finishing with a team-high 20 points.
Malik Thomas, Sam Lewis, and Chance Mallory each chipped in 11, and Virginia shot a solid 45.3% from the field. They moved the ball well, found open looks, and kept UNC’s offense in check.
But the cracks started to show late in the first half. A 7-1 run by the Tar Heels just before the break cut into what had been a 15-point Virginia lead.
Head coach Ryan Odom pointed to that stretch as a turning point: “The end of the half was a killer,” he said. “We didn’t execute a play we were trying to run, and it turned into a couple of quick baskets for them.”
Second Half: Carolina Finds Its Footing
Whatever momentum Virginia had built evaporated quickly after the break. UNC came out with energy, and Virginia’s transition defense simply couldn’t keep up.
“Every time we missed a shot, they were at 1.3 points per possession,” Odom noted. “Throwing it over the top, kicking it ahead, fouls… our transition defense was not where it needed to be.”
That lack of urgency on defense opened the door for Stevenson and Wilson to take over. Stevenson, who barely saw the floor in the first half, found himself wide open on multiple possessions-thanks in part to Virginia’s miscommunication on switches.
“We had two guys go to one, and he’s open under the basket,” Odom said. “He was the recipient of some good plays on their part, but definitely some defensive mistakes on ours.”
Wilson, meanwhile, was relentless. He attacked off the dribble, finished through contact, and seemed to gain confidence with each possession. Virginia simply didn’t have an answer for him once he got rolling.
Turnovers and Transition Trouble
The Cavaliers turned the ball over 11 times, which UNC converted into 19 points. That’s the kind of stat that keeps coaches up at night.
“You’re going to turn it over on occasion,” Odom said. “But the key is, you can’t let those turn into baskets.
And tonight, they did.”
UNC, by contrast, committed just four turnovers-and Virginia managed only two points off those mistakes. That disparity in points off turnovers loomed large in a game that stayed tight until the final minutes.
Offensive Bright Spots, Defensive Letdowns
Despite the loss, there were some encouraging signs on the offensive end. Virginia still managed to put up 80 points, thanks in part to strong two-man action between Dallin Hall and Johann Grünloh. Hall got into the paint and created opportunities, but the Cavaliers missed a few key finishes around the rim that could’ve shifted the momentum.
Shot selection wasn’t the main issue, though Odom admitted a few early looks came too quickly in the shot clock. “I thought overall, offensively, we didn’t get them to chase us enough,” he said. “We’ve got to move a little bit better to create more passing lines.”
But when you score 80 and still lose, the problem usually isn’t the offense. “Ultimately,” Odom said, “we have to defend.”
A Quiet Night for Veesaar
Henri Veesaar had one of his quietest outings of the season, struggling to make an impact on the boards or on the scoreboard. Odom didn’t pin that on any specific defensive scheme but acknowledged the challenge of adjusting to UNC’s quick, athletic frontcourt.
“They found a lineup that was working for them,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to adjust to that.”
What’s Next for Virginia
The loss drops Virginia to 5-2 in conference play-still very much in the thick of the ACC race, but now with less margin for error. The Cavaliers will hit the road for matchups against Notre Dame and Boston College, and they’ll need to tighten things up defensively if they want to bounce back.
Odom didn’t sugarcoat it: “The defensive intensity was not where we needed it to be. The communication was lacking. Just a poor defensive performance overall.”
The good news? It’s January.
There’s time to fix it. But the ACC doesn’t offer many soft landings, and if Virginia wants to stay among the league’s elite, they’ll need to rediscover the defensive identity that’s been their calling card all season.