Virginia is back in JPJ on Tuesday night with the kind of matchup that usually tells you more about the Cavaliers’ habits than the final score. Fresh off a statement win over Arkansas, the newly ranked No. 6 Hoos host Bucknell in a 9 p.m. tip on ACC Network, the first of five late-night starts currently on the schedule.
This is the fourth meeting between the programs, and Virginia has taken two of the first three. The most recent came all the way back in 2000-01, when the Cavaliers rolled to a 99-49 win. Bucknell is walking into a similar kind of assignment this time around.
The Bison arrive with a KenPom ranking of 344th, making them the second-worst opponent Virginia is scheduled to face this season, ahead of only Loyola MD at 352nd. Fourth-year coach John Griffin’s team was picked sixth in the 10-team Patriot League preseason poll, and its season has opened with a pair of lopsided defeats: a 96-67 loss to Maryland and an 82-62 setback against Old Dominion.
That Maryland game showed exactly where Bucknell can get pushed around. The Bison were hammered in the paint, giving up 27-of-40 shooting around the rim, while finishing 9-of-18 themselves. Virginia brings even more size than Maryland, which sets up another tough night inside for the visitors.
Still, Bucknell has had one encouraging sign early on. Guard Alexander Pachucki, a 6-foot-5 player who looks ready for a breakout in his second full season, has been the team’s best bright spot.
He put up 23 points in one game and 11 in the other, and he’s known as a dangerous catch-and-shoot threat. Jaydin Williams, a 5-foot-10 guard and Bucknell’s top returning scorer from last season, has not found much rhythm yet and has struggled from the field.
For Virginia, the assignment is straightforward: handle business and avoid any slippage. The Cavaliers should be able to overpower Bucknell physically regardless of the version of themselves that shows up, but this is also the kind of game that matters for keeping the confidence level high before a rivalry matchup over the weekend.
Ball security is one area worth watching. Virginia had some turnover issues against Drexel and Northeastern, but cleaned that up against Arkansas, coughing it up just nine times on 68 possessions against a highly athletic opponent. Another outing in that range would be a welcome sign.
The other storyline is the rotation. Ryan Odom has mostly leaned on seven players, especially in the Arkansas game, with Elijah Gertrude and Kalu Anya taking on meaningful bench minutes. That may be the group he trusts most right now in early November, but there’s still a sense that this roster has more to offer.
Jurian Dixon stands out as the clearest candidate to earn a bigger role. His production at UC Irvine and his fit in Odom’s system make him an intriguing piece, even if he has not yet broken through.
Favour Ibe and Christian Harmon are also names to track. Ibe saw some early run on Sunday with Thijs De Ridder off the floor, but the 7-foot-1 freshman still has work to do before he can be fully trusted.
Harmon, who dealt with an injury through the preseason, has been buried with the walk-ons so far, though his scoring profile from Arkansas State last season makes him worth monitoring in these buy games.
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The return of help on one side of the ball could matter in a game where depth has been tested, but Virginia is still not all the way out of the woods. Linebacker Maddox Marcellus and backup safety Corey Costner remain doubtful, leaving the Cavaliers with a few lingering questions even as the roster begins to stabilize. [Read more 🡒]