The Good, Bad and Ugly From No. 10 Virginia's 81-74 Victory Over NC State

The Virginia Cavaliers pulled off another win on Thursday.

Virginia Cavaliers guard Dallin Hall and Cavaliers center Johann Grünloh | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers' 81-74 victory over the NC State Wolfpack on Thursday afternoon was far from their best. Compared to their last successful blowout against the Wolfpack on Feb. 24, which resulted in a final score of 90-61, the Cavaliers sputtered endlessly on the court this time around.

However, there were some positive elements to the game—it wasn't all negative. Regardless of the margin, Virginia sealed another win and will have another opportunity to push further in the postseason. Competition is only going to heat up from here, so the Cavaliers must return to their dominant form before facing their next opponent.

Now that the game has wrapped up, let's take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly elements of the Hoos' performance.

The Good

Virginia Cavaliers guard Sam Lewis | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

• Junior guard Sam Lewis posted a strong performance against the Wolfpack, giving Virginia a lead more than once. He is known as one of the lesser-known stars compared to headliners like Thijs De Ridder, but his underdog capabilities should not be overlooked. By the end of the game, Lewis had logged 12 points, three rebounds and one assist, but his critical shots were the most impressive.

• Thijs De Ridder took the lead once again early on, but Malik Thomas ended up finishing with the highest number of points. Thomas concluded the game with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. As for De Ridder, he trailed with 15 points, five rebounds and one assist.

The Bad

Virginia Cavaliers guard Malik Thomas and NC State Wolfpack guard Tre Holloman | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

• NC State's defense initially showed up in top form on Thursday, putting the Cavaliers to the challenge. This was rather unexpected, and the Hoos struggled to pull ahead on offense.

• When the first half was coming to a close, with 3:46 left on the clock, Virginia had only logged two offensive rebounds and failed to post any second-chance points. Once the clock ran out for halftime, UVA had three offensive rebounds.

The Ugly

NC State Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams and Virginia Cavaliers guard Malik Thomas | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

• The Hoos really struggled to widen the gap between themselves and the Wolfpack. In true Virginia fashion, a fairly tight game was anticipated, but winning by such a small margin was not ideal. Looking ahead at what's to come, the Cavaliers must find a way to step up their play, particularly on offense, if they want to win the ACC.

As mentioned, the competition is only going to grow more intense. Now is the time for programs to shine on all sides, and those that don't will fall behind. This could very well be the year for UVA to secure a conference title, but doing so will be no easy feat.