CBB Expert Thinks Virginia Could Have a Top Ten Offense In The Country, Gives Lineup Projection

Could Ryan Odom guide Virginia to having a top ten offense in the country this season?

Mar 20, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; VCU Rams head coach Ryan Odom reacts during the first half against the Brigham Young Cougars in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Virginia is hoping that head coach Ryan Odom is going to get the program back on track during his first season as the head coach of the program.

Elite Offense On The Way?

Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) shoots the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide center Clifford Omoruyi (11) during the first half during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Odom brought in a talented transfer class and the one thing that is noticeable is that this group is a high-level shooting team. This should make UVA a formidable opponent on that end of the court and 247 Sports analyst Isaac Trotter thinks a top ten offense nationally is not out of the question:

"New UVa coach Ryan Odom has built a roster from scratch that has serious potency offensively, and the method behind the madness isn't hard to spot with each addition.

Point guards: BYU veteran Dallin Hall and incoming top-60 freshman Chance Mallory will handle most of the traditional point guard duties. Hall is a career 35% 3-point shooter who can be a bit of a gunslinger in pick-and-rolls. The turnovers will be there, but the risk is usually worth the reward. Mallory is an undersized, highly skilled 5-9 firecracker who can fill it up from downtown or the midrange, all while running a team adeptly. He'll fit like a glove.

The dude: San Francisco transfer Malik Thomas is a proven bucket. He's the best bet to lead this team in scoring with his barrage of 3s and a knack for getting to the charity stripe. Thomas, a fifth-year senior, will be one of the oldest players in the ACC. He won't be overwhelmed by anything he sees, and Thomas has so many outs. He hunts buckets in transition. He's an excellent slasher, especially attacking long closeouts, and he's drained over 39% of his triples in back-to-back years while showing the ability to score at all three levels.

Sweet-shootin' role players: Sam Lewis (from Toledo) and Jacari White (from North Dakota State) are projected to be primarily off-ball spacers. Lewis shot over 52% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last year, and White was over 41% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers on absurd volume (162 attempts, 89th percentile nationally). While they project to play off the ball, White and Lewis both notched over 100 ball-screen reps last year. Odom loves having a stable of capable guards who can run pick-and-rolls and make decisions. He has five (!) different guards who have proven they can handle the rock. That's invaluable in this guard-friendly scheme.

Fearsome Fours: Skilled 4s are essential for some of the best offenses, and Virginia has two of them. Thijs de Ridder is a 22-year-old Belgian who can make 3s and punish switches inside. Tillis is another fifth-year senior who was a key weapon of UC Irvine's 32-win club. The 6-7 forward is a bootyball threat who can both invert the floor and operate as a spacer (39% from 3-point range on 3.3 attempts).

Complementary centers: Johann Grünloh and Ugonna Onyenso build a center platoon that does opposite things well. Grunloh is a true stretch 5 who shot 34% from downtown on over 2.5 attempts (in just 22 minutes) in Germany last season. When he's on the floor, Grunloh will pull would-be shot-blockers away from the rim. Onyenso is the opposite as a long-armed 7-footer who can operate as a rim-running, lob threat. Virginia can have two different looks depending on which center is on the floor. Those complementary skill sets are vital.

The verdict: Virginia should have four or five trustworthy shooters on the floor at all times with a sterling mix of creators, slashers, rim-runners and post-up threats. Virginia should be a top-five offense in the ACC for the first time since 2021, and it also has the upside to flirt with a top-10 offense nationally."

VIRGINIA PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

G Dallin Hall
G Malik Thomas
G Jacari White
F Thijs de Ridder
C Johann Grünloh

Underrated offseason?

Feb 13, 2025; Spokane, Washington, USA; San Francisco Dons guard Malik Thomas (1) shoots against Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Emmanuel Innocenti (5) in the second half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga Bulldogs won 88-77. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

In a recent article, CBS Sports analyst Matt Norlander named Virginia as one of the most improved teams in the country next season:

"After spending last week on the recruiting trail and checking in with a medley of coaches, I can report that many a coach in college hoops believes Ryan Odom's Virginia Cavaliers will take a big jump in his first season. The Wahoos went 15-17 last season, fated to toil under Ron Sanchez in the wake of Tony Bennett's head-turning retirement in mid-October. Odom was plucked from nearby VCU, given a $10 million-plus roster budget for the upcoming season and has been able to load up on a team that figures to be top-five in the ACC.

BYU transfer Dallin Hall and former Kansas State forward Ugonna Onyenso have to vastly improve their production from last season, and the additions of three high-level mid-major scorers will give Virginia plenty to work with on offense. Malik Thomas (19.9 ppg at San Francisco), Jacari White (17.1 ppg at North Dakota State) and Sam Lewis (16.2 ppg at Toledo) will likely combine to put up more than 30 points per night. Then there's one of the best gets of the offseason, Belgium forward Thijs De Ridder, who has two years of professional experience in Spain underneath his belt. The 6-foot-8 combo forward put up 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 39.1% from 3 in one of the best Euro leagues.

Odom -- who has a career .636 winning percentage over more than a decade of coaching mid-major programs -- is ready for this. Virginia has the pieces. I'll be surprised if the Cavs aren't a single-digit seed in the NCAA Tournament next season."

I think Virginia is going to be near the top of the ACC this season and an NCAA Tournament team. Could they be something more than that?