By Jeff White (jwhite@virginia.edu)
VirginiaSports.com
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — University of Miami head coach Jai Lucas compared it to an Elite Eight or Sweet Sixteen game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and that didn’t seem like hyperbole. For 40 minutes Saturday afternoon (Feb. 21), two of the ACC’s top teams battled at John Paul Jones Arena, treating a sellout crowd to a high-level contest that included 12 lead changes and 14 ties.
Only one team would emerge victorious, however, and that was 14th-ranked Virginia. The Cavaliers went up 86-83 on three free throws by freshman guard Chance Mallory with 3.6 seconds to play, and that’s how the game ended. After the Hurricanes inbounded the ball from near midcourt with 3.2 seconds left, UVA forward Thijs De Ridder intercepted a pass designed to lead to a 3-point attempt, and the final horn sounded.
That stop undoubtedly pleased former Virginia head coach Tony Bennett, whose teams were renowned for their defensive prowess. In a ceremony before the game, the court at JPJ was dedicated to Bennett in recognition of his contributions to the University, to the community, and to the basketball program.
Bennett’s signature is now prominently displayed on the court, and inside the letters are the names of all his former players, coaches, staffers and managers from his 15 seasons at Virginia.
Among those who returned for the ceremony were Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill, Joe Harris, Jay Huff, London Perrantes and Sammy Zeglinski.
“My heart is full. I’m overwhelmed by this,” Bennett told the crowd. “I pray that this program and how we did it was a bright light for all of you.”
Such a momentous occasion deserved a memorable game, and both teams delivered. Miami (21-6 overall, 11-6 ACC) built an 11-point lead in the first half, only to see Virginia (24-3, 12-2) fight back and go up 31-30 on 7-foot center Johann Grünloh’s second 3-pointer.
“We’ve been in situations like that before,” UVA guard Jacari White said. “There’s no 11-point play to bring us back. It's just chipping away, getting stops on the defensive end, and executing on the offensive end, and staying together as a team.”
The Hurricanes punched back, however, and went into the break leading 44-39 after scoring the final eight points of the half. The Canes shot 62.5% from 3-point range and 56.7% overall in the first 20 minutes.
“The key for us was, in the second half, digging in more,” UVA head coach Ryan Odom said. “They are a very well-coached team. They are an attacking and downhill team. They offensive-rebound like we do, and they get to the free-throw line. And it was just a matter of whether we were going to be able to stand up to that in the second half.”
The Wahoos, who rank among the nation’s top offensive-rebounding teams, scored only two second-chance points Saturday, and Miami outrebounded them 30-23 overall. But Virginia found other ways to win.
WHAT THE STEP BACK 🤯
— Virginia Men's Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) February 21, 2026
📺 @espn #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/otdN92stGb
Led by White (5 for 8), the Cavaliers finished 12 of 24 from 3-point range. White’s final shot was the most dramatic. With UVA leading 80-79, he pulled up in transition on the left wing—not far from the home bench—and let a 3-pointer fly that found its mark with 75 seconds to play.
“Jacari’s shot was amazing,” Odom said.
It was a high-risk play, but “as a coach you have to trust [players],” Odom said, “and certainly in that moment we did.”
In front of other bench, Lucas said, he watched White rise for the shot, and “I’m like, ‘No, no, no,’ because I knew it was going in.”
White’s trey forced a Miami timeout. With the crowd in full voice, the Canes could have crumbled, but they responded with back-to-back baskets, both by forward Malik Reneau. The first made it 83-81 with 58.3 seconds left, and the second made it 83-83 with 7.5 seconds left.
With the game tied, UVA inbounded the ball before Lucas could call a timeout to set his defense. Mallory quickly dribbled across midcourt and, seeing an opportunity near the top of the key, put up a 3-pointer on which he was fouled.
Odom could have called a timeout once Mallory got the ball into the court, but “I like to let our guys go, and you can sense that,” he said.
Mallory did the rest, coolly sinking all three free throws. A graduate of nearly St. Anne’s-Belfield School, he originally committed to play for Bennett at Virginia.
“It was just a blessing to be recruited by him,” Mallory said.
The shortest player on UVA’s roster, the 5-foot-10 Mallory finished with 12 points and led his team in assists (six) and rebounds (six). Like White, Mallory comes off the bench for Virginia.
“He’s kind of their swagger,” Lucas said of Mallory. “He's kind of their personality, him and White. When they come in the game, it's a different level of pop that comes with them, and both of them impacted the game. And both of them hit big shots.”
The victory was the eighth straight for Virginia, which played without reserve forward Devin Tillis, who hurt his knee Wednesday night at Georgia Tech. Only eight Cavaliers played Saturday, and six of them scored in double figures, led by White (17 points). Swingman Sam Lewis contributed 15 points, De Ridder had 14, Mallory and Grünloh added 12 apiece, and guard Malik Thomas chipped in 10, all in the second half.
Grünloh is from Germany, and he had family members in town for the game. They saw him go 2 for 2 from beyond the arc and block five shots, his most in an ACC game.
“Johann was tremendous,” Odom said. “I thought it was one of his better games, if not his best game, of his early career so far. And I'm really proud of him.”
This is Grünloh’s first season of college basketball, and he’s been inconsistent at times, but “he's just a really good player,” Odom said. “And it's great to see him kind of coming out of that. He had a couple of games where he wasn't at his best. And that's how seasons go. But he's a determined player and a confident player, and I thought he did a nice job tonight.”