Virginia Cavaliers Unveil New Style in Preseason Win Over Villanova

The Virginia Cavaliers turned their first page in the post-Ben Bennett era, unveiling a faster, more aggressive style under new head coach Ryan Odom in a 75-72 exhibition win over the Villanova Wildcats on Friday night.

The Cavaliers, playing in front of a home crowd and on a broadcast for the first time under Odom, took control early, leading for all but 1:02 of game time and holding a 10-point lead with just 1:31 remaining. However, Villanova’s full-court pressure forced two crucial turnovers and made the game closer than it should have been. But freshman guard Chance Mallory’s two clutch free throws and a final possession stop secured the victory for UVA.

Virginia’s New Style: Numbers Don’t Lie

Logging in 67 offensive possessions, UVA boasted a 37.9% offensive rebound rate, a 26.9% turnover rate, and a staggering 49% of shots coming from beyond the arc. In contrast, Bennett’s 2019 championship team averaged 59.4 possessions, 30.4% offensive rebound rate, 14.7% turnover rate, and 39.5% of shots from three.

If you were seated at JPJ or tuned in on ACC Network Extra, you watched a much different style of basketball than what Virginia fans have seen for the past 15 years. — 247Sports.com

Rotation Takes Shape, Frontcourt Impresses

Odom kept his promise to play a deep rotation, deploying 10 players for more than 10 minutes each. The starting lineup of Hall, Thomas, Lewis, De Ridder, and Gruenloh was as expected, but Lewis’ playing time was limited, with Jacari White (21 minutes) stepping up. Mallory (18 minutes) and Elijah Gertrude (15) also saw significant action. Up front, De Ridder (26) and Gruenloh (25) led the way.

The European-led frontcourt lived up to expectations. Johann Gruenloh, in particular, looked like a day-one stud with 12 points and 8 rebounds, showcasing his length, three-point shooting, and hands. Thijs de Ridder had his ups and downs but exhibited flashes of greatness, while Ugonna Onyenso provided a impressive lift off the bench with 8 points, 3 blocks, and a pair of alley-oop dunks.

Defensive lapses and young players’ ups and downs

Virginia, however, struggled with ball screen coverage, allowing Villanova’s guards to get into the lane and make plays. The team’s guards must improve their pick navigation to ace this facet of the defense. Additionally, young players Chance Mallory and Martin Carrere had mixed performances, with Mallory showing promise despite early jitters and Carrere’s limited minutes displaying both his potential and areas needing improvement.