Should Virginia Men’s Basketball Be Considered a Top Four Team in the ACC?

The Virginia Cavaliers should be named a top four team in their conference.

Dec 3, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Virginia Cavaliers center Johann Grunloh (17) dunks against Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) during the first half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program has been gaining national attention with its impressive 8-1 record. Having only dropped one matchup so far this season, it's no surprise that heads have been turning their way. To make matters more impressive, their success is built on a relatively new roster and a new head coach. If this is how the Cavaliers perform while new to Virginia, it will be interesting to see how they compete once they get more program experience under their belt.

UVA still has plenty of games left in its 2025 campaign, but at this rate, as long as it doesn’t slow the momentum, the Cavaliers will be one of the leading teams in the nation. This poses the question of whether or not Virginia should be considered a top four team in the ACC. If things continue on this trajectory, UVA could be in a solid position down the road.

Should UVA Be Within the ACC’s Top Four?

Dec 3, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Dallin Hall (30) looks to pass against Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) during the second half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Taking into account Virginia's elite frontcourt and their colossal wins this season, the short answer is yes. As mentioned, UVA is working with fresh faces on the court and new head coach Ryan Odom on courtside. Playing at such an elite level without having spent previous seasons together will make for a formidable program in weeks to come. Of course, there's always room for improvement and a need to fill in the gaps, but the Cavaliers are looking brilliant on the court this year.

With that being said, Odom isn't entirely content with his program just yet, as he would still like to see improvements made on defense after their latest game against Dayton. As he stated during his postgame media appearance:

"Yeah, I thought the guys did a nice job when we weren't giving up easy baskets because of our turnovers. you know, your offense really helps your defense. When you play when you play great offense, you can set your defense a little bit better.And so, I thought in the half-court, our guys did a really nice job. Shy a couple of possessions where we made poor decisions in pick and roll coverages, there at the end where Bennett makes the three. We were supposed to go over. You're not going to stop them, you know, on every single possession, but it's getting better. There's no question."

Virginia's next matchup is scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. Will UVA be able to continue its winning ways?