Three Keys to Victory for No. 13 Virginia’s Upcoming Matchup vs. Wake Forest

Will the Virginia Cavaliers get back on track tonight?

Virginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory and Dallin Hall | Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers are gearing up for their upcoming matchup against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at 7 p.m. ET. This is a home game for the Hoos, giving them a bit of an edge, but that doesn't mean this won't be a tough meeting for them.

Let's take a look at three keys to victory for the Cavaliers and what they will need to do tonight to come out on top.

Defense Must Erupt

Virginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory and Ryan Odom | Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

The Hoos have worked on their defensive skills throughout the season, and they dropped the ball when facing the Blue Devils. Wake Forest tends to be rock solid on offense, and it's unlikely that this will change tonight. UVA is generally a balanced program, but its latest matchup did not reflect its true potential.

"Defensively, you have to contest, and it's got to be five against the ball, and we've got to make sure that we're coming up with 50/50 balls and doing all the things that you have to do to win tight games," head coach Ryan Odom stated during his latest media appearance. "That'll help us, you know, the better our defense is and the better we play on that side of the ball, that will help our offense as well in terms of getting us out, you know, in transition and going."

Pressure Juke Harris

Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Juke Harris | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Sophomore Juke Harris is a striking young player, ranking 13th in points (21.4) across all college basketball. Not only does he lead his program in points, but he also leads in rebounds, averaging 6.6 per game; he ranks 13th in the ACC for this category. Pressuring Harris should be the No. 1 priority tonight when the Hoos take on the Demon Deacons. In reference to Harris, head coach Ryan Odom stated:

“He can shoot from behind the arc, you know, deep, and he also is strong getting to the basket. You know, he's a physical driver. He's just a tough matchup, you know, all around.” 

Improve Shot Selection

Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

This is an area where the Cavaliers struggled last time out. Finishing with 51 points on the board, the Hoos walked away with a season low. Not to mention, two of their leading scorers, Malik Thomas and Sam Lewis, were not at their best offensively, as they failed to post a field goal. Thijs De Ridder was the only Cavalier to score in the double digits, but he alone can't carry the program through to the end of the season.

Virginia ranks sixth in points (81.2) in the ACC, while Wake Forest ranks (79.1). This isn't a large margin, and the Demon Deacons know this. Despite the Hoos having a greater chance at coming out on top, Wake Forest is still expected to test them.

"If you wait, it'll get harder later on, and that happened to us a couple of times, but you know, you go back and look at it," Odom noted. "We missed some shots that we've normally been making. And they were making their shots. I mean, they were seven for 11 with five minutes to go in the half, and we were two for 14 or something like that..."