CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 15 Virginia (21-3, 10-2 ACC) meets Ohio State (16-8, 8-6 Big Ten) in nonconference action on Saturday, Feb. 14 in Nashville, Tenn. Tipoff at Bridgestone Arena is set for 8 p.m. on Fox and Virginia Sports Radio Network.
For Openers
- No. 15 Virginia (21-3, 10-2 ACC) meets Ohio State (15-8, 7-6 Big Ten) for the first time since 2016.
- UVA has a five-game win streak and six-game road win streak.
- The Cavaliers are 9-2 away from home, including a 2-1 mark in neutral site contests.
- UVA meets its third Big Ten foe this season, defeating Northwestern (83-78) and Maryland (80-72) earlier this season.
- UVA has scored 80 or more points in 15 games (most since 21 in 2000-01) but 73 or less in its last four contests.
- Virginia assistant coach Bryce Crawford served as a manager at Ohio State from 2007-11.
- The Cavaliers are averaging 81.9 points, third-most in school history and most since 85 ppg in 2000-01.
- UVA ranks 18th in the NET rankings and 20th in the kenpom.com rankings.
Ticket Information
- Fans can purchase tickets by visiting ticketmaster.com or the Bridgestone Arena box office.
Broadcast Information
- The Virginia-Ohio State game will be televised on Fox, streamed on the Fox Sports App and broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network, VirginiaSports.com and Virginia Sports app.
- Live statistics are available on VirginiaSports.com and the Virginia Sports app.
The New Head Coach
- Ryan Odom was named the University of Virginia’s Dean and Markel Families Men’s Head Basketball Coach on March 22.
- He spent the last two seasons at VCU, leading the Rams to a 52-21 record and 2025 NCAA Tournament berth.
- VCU won the 2025 Atlantic-10 Tournament and shared the A-10 regular-season championship.
- UVA is Odom’s fifth stint as a collegiate head coach. In 12 seasons, he has compiled a record of 224-127, including stops at Utah State (2021-23), UMBC (2017-2021), Lenoir-Rhyne (2016), Charlotte (2015, interim).
- Odom led UMBC, Utah State and VCU to the NCAA Tournament during his second season at those schools.
- Odom coached UMBC to an upset against Virginia in 2018 NCAA Tournament, marking the first time a No. 16 seed defeated a No. 1 seed in the event’s history.
- Odom is the first UVA coach to start his tenure 5-0, surpassing the Cavaliers’ first coach Henry Lannigan who started 4-0 in 1905-06.
- Odom’s 21 wins are tied with Jeff Jones (1990-91) for most wins for a UVA first-year head coach.
All-Time vs. Ohio State
- Virginia is 3-3 all-time vs. Ohio State in a series that dates back to 1932.
- UVA and OSU meet for the first time at a neutral site.
- The Cavaliers defeated the Buckeyes 63-61 at John Paul Jones Arena in the last meeting between the teams on Nov. 30, 2016.
- UVA also defeated Ohio State 64-58 in the 2015 Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Columbus and 89-73 in 1981 during its three-game win streak in the series.
- UVA legend Ralph Sampson poured in 40 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in UVA’s 89-73 win over OSU at University Hall.
- OSU defeated UVA 30-26 in the inaugural meeting between the teams in Charlottesville on Feb. 6, 1932.
Last Time vs. The Buckeyes
- Virginia rallied from a 16-point deficit to top Ohio State 63-61 in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge game on Nov. 30, 2016.
- London Perrantes scored 15 of his game-high 19 points as UVA started the second half with an 11-0 run after trailing 32-16 late in the first half.
- The 16-point deficit was UVA’s largest since the Cavaliers trailed by 37 points in the second half during an 87-52 loss at Tennessee on Dec. 30, 2013.
- Devon Hall added 12 points for UVA and the Cavaliers went 7-of-16 from 3-point range in the win.
- Jae’Sean Tate led Ohio State with 14 points.
- UVA shot 37.5 percent from the field, but forced 20 Ohio State turnovers, including eight from JaQuan Lyle (12 points).
Last Time Out
- Jacari White scored 19 points to lead No. 15 Virginia to a hard-fought 61-58 win at Florida State on Feb. 10.
- White scored 16 points in the second half as the Cavaliers (21-3, 10-2 ACC) overcame a nine-point deficit in the road win.
- White drilled five 3-pointers in his largest scoring output since dropping 25 points against Dayton on Dec. 6.
- Ugonna Onyenso chipped in four points, seven rebounds and a game-high three blocked shots.
- Lajae Jones led the Seminoles (11-13, 4-7 ACC) with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
Virginia Standard
- The Virginia Standard is to pursue excellence and is built on the six pillars of humility, passion, unity, servanthood, thankfulness and accountability.
- We play with pace, share the basketball and our defensive style is to dictate and disrupt.
Hoo Are These Cavaliers?
- The 2025-26 roster is highlighted by 12 newcomers, including Dallin Hall (BYU), Malik Thomas (San Francisco), Devin Tillis (UC Irvine), Jacari White (North Dakota State), Ugonna Onyenso (Kansas State), Sam Lewis (Toledo) and Martin Carrere (VCU).
- UVA added European imports Thijs De Ridder (Bilbao Basket), Johann Grünloh (RASTA Vechta) and true freshmen Silas Barksdale, Chance Mallory and Owen Odom.
- Redshirt sophomores Elijah Gertrude, Carter Lang and Desmond Roberts are the lone returners from last year’s team.
- De Ridder leads UVA in scoring (16.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg), while Thomas (12.2 ppg), Lewis (10.6 ppg) and Mallory (10.2 ppg) are UVA’s other leading scorers.
- Onyenso leads the team in blocks (2.5 bpg) and Hall leads in assists (4.2 apg).
- UVA is averaging 81.9 points and holding foes to 67.5 ppg.
- Seven different Cavaliers have led the team in scoring (Thijs De Ridder, Dallin Hall, Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory, Ugonna Onyenso, Malik Thomas, Jacari White).
- UVA is netting 76.6 ppg and holding foes to 68.4 ppg in ACC play.
Hoos Among ACC Leaders
- UVA ranks first in the ACC in rebounds (41.7), offensive rebounds (14.3) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.294), second in field goal percentage defense (.393), rebound margin (+9.0) and blocks (5.8 bpg), third in scoring defense (67.5 ppg), scoring margin (+14.4) and assist/turnover ratio (1.58) and fourth in assists (17.0), 3-pointers (10.1) and defensive rebounds (27.5 rpg).
- Thijs De Ridder ranks 12th in scoring (16.1 ppg), eighth in field goal percentage (52.1%) and 15th in rebounds (6.6 rpg).
- Dallin Hall ranks first in assist/turnover ratio (3.3) and 12th in assists (4.2 apg).
- Ugonna Onyenso ranks second in blocks at 2.5 bpg.
- Johann Grünloh ranks third in blocks (2.1 bpg).
- Chance Mallory ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (3.0), third in steals (2.0 spg), 14th in assists (3.6 apg) and 20th in free throw percentage (76.1%).
- Jacari White ranks 13th in 3-pointers made per game (2.2).
On The Horizon
- No. 15 Virginia returns to ACC action at Georgia Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Tipoff at McCamish Pavilion is set for 9 p.m. on the ACC Network and Virginia Sports Radio Network.