Everything Important Ryan Odom Said After Win vs Maryland: What It Really Means

Virginia coach praised his team's poise and determination in rallying from 11-point deficit

Nov 13, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Ryan Odom looks on during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In their first true road game of the season, the Virginia Cavaliers also experienced their first adversity of 2026-27.

After dispatching their first four opponents by at least 19 points, the Cavaliers (5-0) had to rally from an 11-point halftime deficit to outlast Maryland 87-83 Friday night at the Xfinity Center in College Park. Here's what coach Ryan Odom had to say after the game:

On his team's poise and determination

Virginia opened with its worst 20 minutes of the young season, allowing the Terps to score on their final 14 possessions of the first half and shoot 23 free throws. But after a long discussion in the locker room, they adjusted and used their superior experience to dominate the second half, shooting 77 percent (20 of 26) from the floor.

“These guys have been in some battles, last season in some tight ones, especially on the road," Odom said. "We had to answer. Today, the pressure was on us to play better if we were going to have a chance to win and play more like ourselves. It’s not just one side of the ball; it’s both sides of the ball. I think the guys did a nice job getting ourselves back in position to transfer the pressure in the other direction.”

On Maryland's physical approach

The Terps personify second-year coach Buzz Williams' aggressive, physical game plan. They knocked the Cavaliers onto their heels for much of the game, and 6-foot-9 Pharrel Payne got the better of Virginia's 7-foot Johan Grunloh early on. Payne scored a team-high 20 points, but had just two in the final 15 minutes.

Virginia also committed 27 fouls. Chance Mallory and Nolan Adekunle fouled out, and Grunloh and Kaul Anya finished with four each.

“They attack you and put pressure on you physically. Payne is obviously a big part of that," Odom said. "They’re difficult to defend, and it took us a half to figure that out. Not that we were perfect in the second half. The issue I had with it was the undisciplined fouls. We reached way too much.”

On offensive adjustments

The Cavaliers made just four of their first 14 attempts, but heated up in the second half by going to the basket more. Sam Lewis scored most of his game-high 28 points on drives, and Virginia finished with 58 points in the paint.

"We needed to be more aggressive on offense," Odom said. "In the first half, the guy who dribbled the ball across halfcourt shot it most times—and that’s not Virginia basketball. In the second half, we encouraged the guys to play with each other more, and we put them in some sets that let their skills take over.”

On the starters' minutes

Aside from Adekunle, Virginia's other four starters (Thijs De Ridder, Mallory, Grunloh and Lewis) all logged at least 32 minutes in their fifth game in an 11-day stretch. That coincided with their first close game of the season.

The Cavaliers got just 12 points from their bench, with only Elijah Gertrude and Martin Carrere making big contributions. Odom said he's still waiting for his reserves to earn his trust in clutch situations.

“It makes sense, if you think about it," he said. "These [starters] are back, and they’ve established themselves in big games. It’s way different than last year. Last year, everybody was new. You couldn’t tell the difference between the starting lineup and the guys who came off the bench. Now you can—and that’s not the bench’s fault. They’ve got to earn more trust.  … We’ve got guys that can play on that bench. But the guys who are the starters, they deserve to be out there right now.”

On Sam Lewis' up-and-down night

Lewis led the Cavaliers with a career-high 28 points, but also committed seven turnovers against the Terps' pressure. He's being asked to handle the ball, especially when Mallory is taking a rare rest.

Odom praised his perseverance Friday night in overcoming his mistakes.

“Maybe a year ago, he doesn’t, and Jacari [White]’s out there, Malik [Thomas] is out there," Odom said. "He had to play through it. Sam has really good teammates. They care about him , they talk to him … but he’s growing into more of a ball-handler, a decision-maker. So we have to give him some grace, as he takes on a different role than he had a year ago. He’s not going to be perfect, but I’m proud of where he’s at right now.”