Five Things To Look for During UVA’s Exhibition Game vs Villanova

What are fans looking for during Virginia's exhibition vs Villanova on Friday?

Virginia coach Ryan Odom works the referees during the second half of their exhibition game against Vanderbilt at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The long-awaited exhibition game between Virginia and Villanova is right around the corner, taking place at John Paul Jones Arena at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24. This high-profile preseason matchup provides fans with a peek at how the season may play out.  

Heading into the matchup, here are five things to look for during the game:

How Chance Mallory Performs

Landing Chance Mallory, a freshman from Charlottesville, Va., was a major recruiting success by Ryan Odom, who is about to embark on his first season with the Cavaliers as head coach. Mallory is a 2025 four-star point guard entering the season with the drive to learn and succeed. The young star chose UVA over notable schools, including Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Maryland, Clemson and Virginia Tech.

With the exhibition game approaching quickly, Mallory told Jeff White of Virginia Sports, "I'm definitely excited, especially just to play in front of my friends and family and all the people who support UVA and who I've been with in the stands for a while."

Will Johann Grünloh Live Up to Expectations?

Landing Johann Grünloh was yet another game-changer for UVA. The 7-foot, 238-pound German freshman is expected to bring top talent to the Cavaliers' program. Not only does his imposing size aid Virginia, but he's also built up an impressive basketball resume. In 2024-25, he averaged 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for RASTA Vechta while playing full-time. In prior years, he has shown consistent growth on the court — the way he plays on Friday will be telling. Was his commitment worth all the hype?

How Will Ryan Odom's Team Respond to His Leadership?

At this point, it's no secret that Ryan Odom has a knack for coaching. He has been in his collegiate coaching era for over a decade now and has a wealth of knowledge. His leadership is likely to carry the Cavaliers far this year, but how will they initially respond to him during the exhibition game?

He is certainly under pressure as he enters his first season with UVA, but considering that he's been named one of the top basketball coaching hires of 2025, the program is likely to be in good hands.

"Some coaches get hired, it makes sense and is the perfect place," said Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. "For me, Odom is an easy choice because the program he went to is the most synergistic fit of all the guys. I've gotten to know Ryan and know UVA well based on having worked in that area. I know what UVA is about academically and non-athletically. When Ryan Odom was at UMBC, he invited me to his practice and I got to know him there. How he is as a coach, who he is, what he values and the university, it's a perfect fit."

How Will the New Faces Fare on the Court?

Virginia is overflowing with new faces on the roster this season. Coupled with a new coach, things are bound to get interesting. Some of the top players who are new to the program are helping the Cavaliers gain steam as a whole. Unsurprisingly, Chance Mallory is one of them.

UVA only has three returning players this year — Elijah Gertrude, Carter Lang and Desmond Roberts — leaving little room for veteran energy. With the lack of this, will the rookies be able to find their footing fast enough?

How Will the Chemistry Flow?

In short, a decent basketball program tends to have plenty of chemistry on and off the court. With so many players being new to UVA and to collegiate basketball entirely, it will be interesting to see how quickly they can mesh on the court during a game.

Some of the leading questions involve who will naturally emerge as a leader, how they will respond to aggression, how they will handle mistakes from careless slip-ups, but above all, how well the players will be able to read each other on the court starting out.

The Virginia-Villanova exhibition game is an opportunity for UVA to tie up any loose ends and allows fans to get a glimpse into what Odom is working with.