Ryan Odom’s first season in charge of Virginia Basketball could hardly have gone better. With an entirely new roster, he guided the Cavaliers to 30 wins, went 15-3 in ACC play, finished second in the league, and earned a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament before reaching the Round of 32.
Now comes the tougher part: meeting bigger expectations. Virginia brings back every player who still had eligibility and also added more depth through the transfer portal, which is why the Cavaliers enter the 2026-27 season as a consensus preseason top-20 team. Before Sunday’s exhibition against Vanderbilt offers the first real look at the group, three questions stand out.
The biggest one is Chance Mallory. Even with a backcourt full of veteran guards, the freshman found real minutes and made them count, putting up 9.3 points and 3.4 assists in 24 minutes per game off the bench.
This season, he moves into the spotlight as the lead guard and a consensus sophomore breakout pick. If Mallory takes another jump and gives Virginia All-ACC-level play, that pairs awfully well with Thijs De Ridder, who is back after averaging 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds.
That combination would go a long way toward keeping the Cavaliers in the upper tier of the ACC.
The next issue is perimeter shooting, and specifically who replaces Malike Thomas and Jacari White. Mallory is already a reliable piece from deep at 35%, but Virginia is losing two of its best outside shooters.
The new faces include Christian Harmon, who averaged 12.8 points and shot 35% from three at Arkansas State, Jurian Dixon, who scored 15.9 points per game while hitting 39% from beyond the arc at UC Irvine, and Jan Vide, who made just 10 threes at LMU. Mallory and Sam Lewis will carry much of the load, and Virginia will need that group to keep the three-point production from slipping.
That was one of the defining strengths of last year’s 30-win team.
Then there’s the paint. Ugonna Onyenso was a major part of what made Virginia so hard to score on inside, even in a reserve role.
The 7-foot-1 center averaged three blocks in just 18 minutes per game and gave the Cavaliers the kind of interior defense that changes possessions. With him gone, Johann Grunloh becomes the key figure in that spot.
Virginia is almost certainly going to lose some of that rim protection, and the real question is how much of a step back it takes - and whether that makes the Cavaliers more exposed in more games than they expected.
In Other News...
Virginia Gets Its Biggest ACC Reality Check Yet At Florida State
Virginias defensive profile still looks good on paper, but the numbers come with a warning label after that lopsided night against West Virginia changed the picture. The Cavaliers are tied for 12th among Power Four teams in scoring defense, which keeps them in the conversation as a team with enough structure to hang around in the ACC race, but not enough cushion to feel comfortable heading into the leagues toughest tests.
Florida State is the next one, and for Virginia it feels like the kind of game that can sharpen the path or expose the gaps. If the Cavaliers want to stay in the mix for the ACC title, they need a showing that matches the standard they have spent the season trying to build, especially against a conference landscape that rarely gives anyone much room for error. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Fans Get A Key Chance To Hear From A Breakout Playmaker
Virginia footballs weekly Coachs Corner will give fans another midweek look at the program Tuesday, Sept. 29, when Tony Elliotts radio show airs live from Dairy Market in Charlottesville. Hosted by John Freeman, the show will be available through radio affiliates and online, and listeners can also jump in with question submissions and giveaways.
The guest this week is running back Jekail Middlebrook, giving Cavaliers fans a chance to hear from one of the offenses early bright spots in an informal setting. Through four games, Middlebrook has emerged as a player worth paying attention to, and this platform offers a chance to get a better feel for how Virginia is viewing his role as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Fans Now Know When Homecomings Gets A Bigger Stage
Virginia fans finally have a clearer picture of when Homecomings will get its biggest spotlight, as the ACC has set the Cavaliers home date with Syracuse for the evening window. The matchup is part of a busy Week 5 slate around the league, and it gives Virginia another chance to put a home crowd in the center of the action with a nationally available broadcast.
Syracuse has not been a frequent visitor to Charlottesville, which adds a little extra edge to this one beyond the usual conference stakes. The timing also folds into a broader stretch of ACC football that includes updates on Virginia, Florida State and a full list of game times and TV assignments, but for Cavs fans this one stands out as the kind of fall night game that can give Homecomings a different feel. [Read more 🡒]