Everything From Ryan Odom and Virginia G Chance Mallory After 88-69 Victory Over Texas

Opening Statement from head coach Ryan Odom…

“You have a beautiful place here. Um, you know, playing in the Moody Center against a top, you know, team and a well coached team, in coach Miller. We knew what we were up against coming in here. We played our A game today. Uh, we had a really good effort all around. All the way from the preparation all the way through the game. Thought our guys did a really nice job against a really good team of imposing their will and doing the best that they could on each possession. Um we have not played that way defensively so far this year. Uh offensively, I thought our guys shared the ball. They did a nice job of moving it and and trusting one another. We took care of the ball. We got clean looks. Certainly we got off to a hot start from three which really helped and uh gave us some momentum. There were two times, you know, within the first half where there were some runs that they made and and our guys did a nice job of doing our best to answer those runs. I think it was 6-0 and then we went 9-0 and uh, you know, really gave us a little bit of a cushion there. And then the second half, you know, it's always dangerous. You know, I was watching some of these other games when you get a lead like that that you know, it can deteriorate really quickly. I thought our guys did a nice job just holding the fort.

Chance Mallory on if the team came in feeling they were an underdog….

“I wouldn't say underdog is the right word, but I feel like we just came in this game with like an intensity that we didn't have in the past games. Coming off a loss to Butler, we really wanted to make a statement and prove that we are we are a team that punches first. And so, I feel like we did that a lot.”

Mallory on if Texas defeating NC State got Virginia’s attention

“Texas is Texas, no matter who they beat coming into this arena. I mean, it didn't really change anything, but obviously, they're a great team and we had that mindset coming in that we're going to be in for a dog fight from the start.”

Odom on what the team is executing at a high level right now…

“I think tonight you saw us. The best aspect for us has always been offensive rebounding. It was not necessarily there tonight, but we made a lot of shots and played particularly well on offense. I think these guys share the ball. We have multiple guys who can shoot it from behind the ark. We have big guys that can, you know, knock them down on occasion behind the arc, which tests the defense even more. It allows our perimeter players like Chance and others, to be able to get inside the paint. And so offensively, you know, we're a tough team, you know, to match up with when you can do both. Night in and night out, you know, change. You're not going to make shots every night. So our defense hasn't been there like we wanted it to be, so far this early in the season. So we're working in progress right now on that side of the ball, and tonight it was a really good effort and a good step in the right direction for us."

Odom on attacking Texas pick and roll coverage and attacking it….

“They've been really good in it, and they back up and play that drop like we do. uh and they've got size, you know, up front and when you drive in there to the rim, you know, you're having to deal with a seven-footer. I thought our guys did a nice job of not having one pick-and-roll situation. We had multiple, you know, to try to test them a little bit, try to get to the second side. There were several occasions where we had to get to the end of the clock. Chance made a three. Uh, I thought the patience was there, which I was really pleased with from our guys. Texas is going to have a great season. Uh, they have a great coach, uh, really good players. Certainly, tonight was our night and, um, you know, I'm confident. My eyes tell me I've watched enough of their games, you know, over the course of this early part of the season and, uh, they're going to have a fun year, too.”

Odom the struggles for Texas inbounding the ball and attacking it….

“Yeah, I mean we we play 24 defense, we play fullcourt defense and so um when we score a basket, we get up there and our guys did a nice job. one of the better jobs. You know, certainly better than last game. We had to get on them for last game not getting into it as much. But, you know, tonight our guys did a nice job. We had multiple deflections, and that's a sign that the guys are engaged and focused to try to put pressure on. We're not trying to necessarily steal the ball, but we're trying to keep guys in front and keep that sustained pressure on."

Odom on Matas Vokietaitis…

“He's an excellent player. When he catches it in and around the basket, like, he is really tough to deal with. And we're fortunate. Not everybody's this fortunate. We have two seven-footers, all right, that play well off of one another and are physical as well. And tonight was a big test for them. I thought they did a great job. You know, they held their own, and we got some help to them. The key for us, you know, in this particular game was not letting him catch it so deep. He caught it deep several times and got fouled, you know, and made us pay. Overall, I thought our guys, you know, did a nice job.”

On how much it helps the Virginia brand and builds a new identity when we shoots the ball the way it did on Wednesday....

Mallory’s answer…

“It just opens the floor up a lot. So like in the first half we were just getting kick out after kick out after kick out. So we knew like maybe that wasn't going to happen in the second half. Obviously we continue to hit shots but it definitely opened the floor for our rim attacks and I mean just another strength to our game like our with our offensive rebounding. It adds a lot.”

Coach Odom answer….

“Stylistically we want to try to get the best shot each time and I thought our guys played a really balanced offensive game. We certainly want threes. I think Texas hunts threes in transition as well. We were worried about that going into this game when they get stops, and they're able to get out in transition like they can be deadly, and that was a big focus of ours of really trying to set our defense and one of the ways that you do that is you run good offense and I thought tonight that was a that was a key.”

Odom on slowing down Jordan Pope and Tramon Mark…

“Pope is deadly and you know, watching the NC State game and beyond that, like when he's in a rhythm, all right, he can really shoot the basketball, and he can shoot it off the catch or in transition. His teammates find him, and then he can also shoot it off the bounce. And so we lost him a couple of times tonight, and he, fortunately for us, missed some of those. That's not, it's not going to be a regular occurrence this season. like he's a really, really good player. He's fast like this guy right here, and he can really shoot the basketball. For us, we wanted to make sure that we limited the amount of attempts that he got up and you know, I didn't see the final number, but that certainly is a key with anyone that can really shoot the basketball. You don't let them shoot, and you have to stick to them a little bit better. And then some of the others we wanted to make sure that we, you know, fill the lane up, you know, because if you get too stretched out, then all of a sudden the inside becomes a real problem.”

Odom if the nine threes demoralized Texas defense and relationship with Sean Miller….

“Obviously, our families have known each other for a long, long time. And we have so much respect for the Millers. My dad and his dad go way back from five-star basketball camp. I used to love watching. I'm a few years younger than him, but I used to love watching Sean play. He was such a dynamite player and just a tough guy. A guy like you, you know, would aspire to be a player like him. Certainly, he's a great coach. For us, I was just overall proud of the effort, you know, here today for our guys. I don't think there was any. They weren't demoralized. They continue to compete you know, throughout the game, and I think tonight was just it was our night.”

Odom on the key to shutting down Texas basketball…

“I'll have to go back and watch it on film and we always do that, you know, after games, you know, and certainly Texas will do that as well. So, I mean, that's a tough question to answer. I mean, I think our guys followed the game plan and did what we asked them to do in terms of not overextending ourselves in the half-court defense, but extending ourselves in our 24 up the court. Sometimes that can mess up your rhythm a little bit. Overall, you know both teams are going to go back. It's still November, you know, or excuse me, I guess it's December now, you know, the coach and me. It's still early, is the bottom line. So we'll both go back and learn from this game, whether you won or you lost, and you live to fight another day. We have another one on Saturday against another really good team, and I know they do as well.”

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