CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 18 Virginia (19-3, 8-2 ACC) hosts Syracuse (13-10, 4-6 ACC) on Saturday, Feb. 7. Tipoff for the ACC contest at John Paul Jones Arena is set for Noon on ESPN, ESPN Radio and Virginia Sports Radio Network.
Tickets
- The Virginia-Syracuse game is sold out. Fans can still secure tickets at SeatGeek.com, the Official Fan-to-Fan Ticket Marketplace for Virginia Athletics.
- Single-game, group and mini-plan tickets are on sale at uvatix.com. The Pick 2 Plan features one weekend game (Miami or Virginia Tech) and one weekday game (NC State or Wake Forest). The Pick 2 Plan packages start at $110, and can be purchased online, or by contacting the UVA Ticket Sales Team at (434) 924-8821 (Ext. 1).
For Openers
- No. 18 Virginia (19-3) is tied for third in the ACC at 8-2, while Syracuse (13-10) is 11th at 4-6.
- UVA has scored 80 or more points in 15 games, most since 21 in 2000-01.
- The Cavaliers are averaging 83.3 points, third-most in school history and most since 85 ppg in 2000-01.
- UVA ranks 16th in the kenpom.com and NET rankings.
Broadcast Information
- The Virginia-Syracuse game will be televised on ESPN, streamed on ESPN.com/watch and broadcast on ESPN Radio, 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 19 wins rank second for most wins for a UVA first-year head coach behind Jeff Jones’ 21 wins in 1990-91.
All-Time vs. Syracuse
- UVA is 14-7 all-time against Syracuse, including a 12-3 mark in ACC regular-season action, in the series that dates to 1983-84.
- Syracuse ended Virginia’s six-game winning streak in the series with last season’s 84-70 win in the regular-season finale.
- UVA has a three-game home win streak in the series and is 6-2 against the Orange at John Paul Jones Arena.
- UVA had held Syracuse to 69 or fewer points in 16 of the last 17 meetings between the teams.
Last Time vs. The Orange
- Eddie Lampkin tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead Syracuse past Virginia 84-70 on March 8, 2025.
- Lampkin was 11-for-12 from the field and 3-for-3 from the foul line on Syracuse’s Senior Day.
- Jyare Davis and Lucas Taylor each had 15 points for Syracuse.
- Syracuse shot 59.6% and netted 42 points in the paint.
- The Orange outrebounded the Cavaliers 31-17.
- Jacob Cofie led UVA with 13 points and Dai Dai Ames added 10 points.
Last Time Out
- Sam Lewis scored 15 points to lead No. 18 Virginia to a 67-47 win over Pitt on Feb. 3 at John Paul Jones Arena.
- Thijs De Ridder added 10 points and 12 rebounds for his third double-double and Chance Mallory (11 points) and Malik Thomas (10 points) also reached double figures.
- The 67 points marked a season low for UVA, while the 47 points allowed were a season best for the Cavaliers’ defense.
- UVA scored 23 points off of 17 Pitt turnovers and scored 30 points in the paint.
- Cameron Corhen and Nojus Indrusaitis each scored 11 points for Pitt (9-14, 2-8 ACC).
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 at 17 ppg, followed by Thomas (13 ppg), Mallory (10.5 ppg) and Lewis (10.2 ppg).
- De Ridder and Grünloh lead the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg), while Onyenso leads in blocks (2.4 bpg) and Hall leads in assists (4.3 apg).
- UVA is averaging 84 points and holding foes to 69.3 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).
- In ACC play, the Cavaliers are averaging 79.9 points and opponents are netting 73 ppg.
Hoos Among ACC Leaders
- UVA ranks first in the ACC in rebounds (41.6) and offensive rebounds (14.2), second in field goal percentage defense (.394), rebound margin (+8.9) and blocks (5.9 bpg), third in scoring defense (68.3 ppg), scoring margin (+15.0) and assist/turnover ratio (1.61), fourth in 3-pointers (10.1), fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (.359), defensive rebounds (27.4 rpg) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.303).
- Thijs De Ridder ranks 11th in scoring (16.7 ppg), seventh in field goal percentage (53.9%) and 16th in rebounds (6.6 rpg).
- Dallin Hall ranks first in assist/turnover ratio (3.4) and 11th in assists (4.2 apg).
- Ugonna Onyenso ranks second in blocks at 2.5 bpg.
- Johann Grünloh ranks third in blocks (2.2 bpg) and 20th in rebounds (6.1 rpg).
- Chance Mallory ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (3.0) and steals (2.0 spg), 13th in assists (3.5 apg) and 17th in free throw percentage (76.1%).
- Jacari White ranks 18th in 3-pointers made per game (2.0).
On The Horizon
- No. 18 Virginia travels to Florida State on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Tipoff at Donald L. Tucker Center is set for 7 p.m. on ESPNU and Virginia Sports Radio Network.