Overview
- Freshman Thijs De Ridder delivered 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting with 10 rebounds in his collegiate debut.
- Virginia owned the glass with a 49-32 edge, including 22 offensive rebounds that produced 26 second-chance points and a 42-16 advantage in the paint.
- The Cavaliers protected the ball with just six turnovers and converted those extra possessions into a 22-6 edge in points off giveaways.
- Perimeter and free-throw shooting lagged at 26.7% from three and 55.9% at the line after a 2-for-19 first half from deep improved after the break.
- Odom’s first game featured a faster tempo than recent seasons, with a largely rebuilt roster after bringing in about a dozen newcomers to replace most of a 15-17 squad.