Rapid Takeaways from No. 10 Virginia's Victory Over NC State in ACC Quarterfinals

The Virginia Cavaliers endured a brutal matcup against the NC State Wolfpack on Thursday afternoon, but the Hoos managed to come out on top with an 81-74 victory. Compared to the dominant performances fans know Virginia to be capable of, this was a rather disappointing game. But, at this point in the season, a win is a win—the Cavaliers are moving forward in the ACC Tournament and will face the winner of the Miami/Louisville matchup that is coming up shortly.

If they want to continue on this path, thier offense needs to be turned up a couple of notches. Simply put, their latest performance will not suffice.

The Hoos just barely pulled off this victory, but with the game now behind them, here are some rapid takeaways from the matchup.

1. UVA Struggles Against NC State's Defense Early

Throughout their 2025-26 campaign, the Wolfpack have struggled to maintain consistency on defense. However, they showed a new side of themselves on Wednesday, stepping up and applying pressure to the Cavaliers. As a result, Virginia's offense was tested, and its production was not at its best.

2. Sam Lewis, Malik Thomas and Thijs De Ridder Keep Virginia Afloat

Two of UVA's key players Sam Lewis and Thijs De Ridder led the Hoos on the court, ultimately pushing their team ahead of NC State on multiple occasions. By the end of the game, Lewis had posted 12 points, three rebounds and one assist. As for De Ridder, he walked away with 15 points, five rebounds and one assist. Malik Thomas was also caught up in some critical points and led UVA with 16 points.

3. Ugonna Onyenso Shines Continues to Impress

Ugonna Onyenso 's ability to block is a major asset to the Cavaliers. At the time of this writing, the 7'0" senior leads the ACC in blocks and has for quite some time. As of this week, he has now logged three or more blocks in 18 games this season. He finished this game with eight blocks and was the anchor of this defense this afternoon.

4. Ball Movement Improved for UVA in Second Half

During the first half, the Cavaliers were challenged by the Wolfpack's persistent defense, and while that continued to be the case, the Hoos ramped up their offense and started moving the ball quite well. This led NC State into a scoring drought, giving UVA enough leverage to start pulling away.

Now that Virginia defeated NC State, the Cavaliers will be moving on in the ACC Tournament. There's certainly high potential for the Hoos to bring home a conference title, but only if they can step up their play.