This One Player Is Making A Huge Difference For Virginia Basketball This Season

Virginia is a team that was active in the transfer portal this past offseason in preparation for the 2025-2026 campaign. The Hoos brought in seven transfers, including Ugonna Onyenson, Devin Tillis, Malik Thomas, Dallin Hall, Martin Carrere, Sam Lewis, and Jacari White. The most underrated of them all, who is having a profound impact, is Lewis. He has provided stability and top-tier efficiency to the program.

Lewis is the fourth-leading scorer on the team, averaging 10.5 points. He is also averaging 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists. His efficiency from beyond the arc has made a difference, shooting it at a 39.3% clip for the Hoos. That is best for third on the team, only behind White and Tillis (min 10 shots). He also makes a lot of scrappy and effort plays that can’t be measured in the box score, but have proven to be valuable for the Hoos and their 17-3 start this season.

On Tuesday night, he was instrumental to their success and a player they could rely on, besides Thijs De Ridder. Lewis hit a number of clutch buckets down the stretch that allowed Virginia to pull out the win and avoid the upset-minded Fighting Irish. Here is more on his stock report via our own Maria Aldrich

“Junior Sam Lewis was the deciding factor in the game last night. His down-to-the-wire three-pointer propelled UVA into a second overtime, followed by four points in the last 15 seconds. In total, Lewis recorded 21 points, just shy of his season-high of 23 points scored on Jan. 3. The 6'7" guard also posted nine rebounds—the most of any UVA player during the game—along with six assists, shooting 53.8% from the floor. Lewis tends to be an overshadowed player on the court, so watching him step up was telling of his ability and skill on both sides of the ball.”

Through the season, Virginia has gotten contributions from different players on any given night, from Thomas, White, Chance Mallory, Hall, or even Tillis. This is a mark of a good team. It doesn’t matter who gets the shine. They want to win. Lewis is also an embodiment of that, and despite not always getting the ball, he is constantly ready for his opportunities. He will largely get overlooked for what he has done this season, but he has given coach Odom a valuable player down the stretch in games that can make plays and knock down shots. A player you can’t take off the floor when it matters the most.

More Virginia Basketball News:

•Updated NET and KenPom Rankings For Virginia After Their Win Over Notre Dame

•Stock Report For Virginia Following Their Win Over Notre Dame: Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory Rising

•The Good, Bad and Ugly of Virginia’s Overtime Victory Against Notre Dame

•The Snowmagedden Plus/Minus Part III: Virginia Basketball Triumphs over Notre Dame