The Good, Bad, and Ugly From Virginia Men’s Basketball This Season

How is the Virginia Cavaliers' men's basketball team been holding up this season?

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

The Virginia Cavaliers' men's basketball program has been pulling off spectacular wins throughout their 2025-26 campaign. Currently 9-1 overall in the ACC, the Cavaliers have made an imposing name for themselves. However, their season hasn't been without obstacles. In fact, there are plenty of improvements that must be made on the court if UVA wants to continue extending its record.

With several games under their belt, only one of which resulted in a loss, let's take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Cavaliers' season thus far.

The Good

Dec 3, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Thijs De Ridder (28) reacts during the second half against the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Virginia's offensive unit has been the redeeming feature this year. Between Thijs De Ridder, leading the program by averaging 16.1 points per game, Malik Thomas with 11.8, and Chance Mallory with 11.7 points per game. De Ridder has undoubtedly been the key factor this year. The 6-foot-9, 238-pound freshman played his best game on Nov. 21 when UVA faced Northwestern. De Ridder posted a shocking 26 points, eight rebounds, and one block. During his latest matchup, he recorded 13 points, one assist, and two steals. As head coach, Ryan Odom stated during his postgame press conference:

"I think we ran a couple of plays, but you know, he [Thijs De Ridder] did some of it on his own, too, with space to work with, and he got to the basket in a very aggressive way, but I think he was discouraged after halftime. You know, he gets in foul trouble and doesn't play as much as he typically does, shy a few minutes, and so I think he was motivated to play well."

The Bad

Dec 3, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) and Virginia Cavaliers forward Thijs De Ridder (28) react during the first half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

While UVA's offense has been carrying the program, the Cavaliers have shown some struggle defensively. Missed opportunities under the basket have plagued the unit, but Odom notes that improvements have been made.

"I mean, I think offensively, you know, we pass. I think that's the biggest thing right now, and we have multiple options, guys that can shoot, guys that can drive. I think we're getting more stingy on defense, you know, I think that's an area that we're continuing to try to improve each and every practice and game. And the guys understand that we have to have both to be successful in our conference. We're going to be facing some stiff competition, and really good individual players, who are all well coached and, you know, we're going to have to step up, you know, and as we get to conference play."

The Ugly

Dec 3, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Ryan Odom reacts during the second half against the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

The Cavaliers have been getting themselves involved in foul trouble throughout the season. Odom states that there are a few key things that need to start taking place in order to move forward in a positive direction: forcing turnovers, not fouling nearly as much, and recording defensive rebounds. UVA has struggled to find the balance between assertive play and too much aggression, resulting in fouls. Of course, foul trouble is not ideal and quickly results in key players getting benched. In Odom's words:

"Certainly an area where we can improve. We need to force more turnovers. We need to not foul quite as much, and we need a defensive rebound. Those three things are areas that, you know, we're constantly working on. And a lot of that has to do with positioning and just being solid..."