Preview and Final Score Prediction For No. 10 Virginia vs. Miami

Does Virginia stand a chance at reaching the ACC Championship?

Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso and Virginia Tech Hokies center Christian Gurdak | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers are just a few short hours away from their semifinal matchup against the Miami Hurricanes. The Hurricanes just barely knocked down the Louisville Cardinals on Thursday, 78-73. Now, the Virginia and Miami, the No. 3 seed, will be facing off in Charlotte, N.C.

The last time these two programs faced each other was in February, and the Hoos clinched an 86-83 victory over the Hurricanes. Miami will be seeking redemption on Friday, but the Cavaliers have their eyes set on reaching the ACC Championship and eventually securing the prestigious conference title.

Does UVA Stand a Chance?

Virginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory | Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

This can be answered with a strong yes—they do stand a chance, and a strong one at that. Now, the outcome of the game will largely be determined by Virginia's ability to fend off Malik Reneau, who is ranked fifth in the conference in points, posting an average of 19.2 per game. Also cracking the top 10 is Tre Donaldson, who averages 16.8 points per game.

Following their last meeting, head coach Ryan Odom reflected on what it's like guarding the Hurricanes, stating:

"They're really tough, really tough to deal with, and they're even better in person than when you watch them on film. They have big bodies, and so you have to deal with that, and I think our guys, for the most part, stood up strong. We took that lead in the second half, took the lead in the first half after being down 11. And so there was just a resiliency that our guys played with when we weren't particularly playing our best. Didn't end the half great, but came out of halftime and reestablished some positive play..."

But when it comes to rebounding, Miami shows up as a dominating force once again. Ernest Udeh Jr. averages a shocking 9.4 rebounds per game, placing him second in the ACC, trailing Cameron Boozer of the Duke Blue Devils.

Containing the Hurricanes' offense will prove to be a taxing battle, but the Hoos already hold one win over them. Having said that, a win is never guaranteed in college basketball, particularly during the ACC Tournament. UVA's latest matchup against NC State came with plenty of flaws, and they must step up if they want a shot at pushing to the final round.

I'd expect this to be another tight matchup, requiring every ounce of effort from both programs.

Final Score: Virginia 75 - Miami 72