Three Keys to Victory for No. 10 Virginia's Semifinals Matchup vs. Miami

What can the Virginia Cavaliers do to secure a victory?

Virginia Cavaliers guard Malik Thomas | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers will be taking on the Miami Hurricanes for the ACC Tournament semifinals on Friday night. Both programs are coming off close finishes on Thursday, and they're hungry for a shot at reaching the ACC Championship Game.

Since the tournament commenced, the Cavaliers have been a force on the court, but this doesn't mean they haven't had their fair share of hiccups along the way. Scores were tight, foul trouble occurred and there were inconsistencies on both sides of the ball. With things continuing to heat up, now is the time for the Hoos to fine-tune their play. This is an exciting time of year in college basketball, but focus is more important now than ever.

“I love the tournaments. We want to try to compete and win in any tournament we're in, regardless of what time of year it is," head coach Ryan Odom stated during a recent media appearance. "If it's in November, you want to do your best, and that helps prep you for the rest of the season. Obviously, this time of year, it's really exciting. March is spectacular, and the ACC tournament is going to be really fun, you know, this week, and we're excited to be a part of it.” 

For the Virginia-Miami matchup, there are primarily three keys that will help unlock a victory for the Cavaliers. But each of these three boxes will need to be checked off throughout the game in order for a win to come their way.

1. Win the Rebounding Battle

Virginia Cavaliers center Johann Grünloh | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

This should be a point of emphasis for the Cavaliers heading into this meeting. Throughout the season, the Hoos have been diligently working toward improving their offensive and defensive rebounding. On Thursday, the Hoos just barely won the rebound battle against the NC State Wolfpack, which, in part, allowed the final margin to grow as close as it did. Ultimately, winning this battle will help UVA maintain possession.

2. Bench Must Be Productive

Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

One of Virginia's greatest assets this season has been its strong bench depth. Many programs tend to struggle in this department, but the Hoos have been using it to their advantage. Multiple bench players have been scoring in the double digits, propelling UVA forward throughout the year. This type of balance between starters and the bench should be valuable to the Cavaliers on Friday night.

3. Second Half Momentum

Virginia Cavaliers guard Jacari White | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

At this point, Virginia has become associated with sluggish starts—it tends to take the Cavaliers a bit of time before they start heating up. If this is the case during the semifinals, the Hoos must be prepared for a strong second half, which would help them pull ahead. The most important aspect will be to hit the ground running in the second half, as this period tends to provide insight as to how the remainder of the game will play out.