Three Players To Watch During No. 14 Virginia’s Matchup Against Miami

The Virginia Cavaliers are now just one day away from their matchup against the Miami Hurricanes. Tipoff is scheduled for tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET, and the Cavaliers are looking to edge out the Hurricanes in the ACC standings.

Virginia has been playing a strong season thus far, but they're entering a rough stretch, and this is just the beginning. Once this game wraps up, the Hoos will be facing NC State and Duke. Losing to any of these teams will throw the Cavaliers off track.

There are three players, in particular, who UVA fans should keep an eye on during tomorrow's meeting with Miami. The outcome of the game will largely rely on how this trio shows up.

Ugonna Onyenso

Senior Ugonna Onyenso comes with the ability to dominate on both sides of the ball without logging numerous fouls—something his teammates have struggled to do this season. He is currently averaging 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.

"... Ugo does an unbelievable job of protecting the rim for us, and just his aura he brings down there at the paint is just tremendous, and it helps us guard and it gives us a source of confidence to just pressure the ball and we know that we got backup when it comes to that paint," Malik Thomas stated during a recent media appearance. "So it's been great."

Thijs De Ridder

In recent weeks, freshman Thijs De Ridder appeared to have a dip in offensive performance. After having remarkable games where he posted 32 points on Jan. 27 and 22 points on Jan. 10, it was rather concerning when he dropped into the single digits earlier this month.

Fortunately, during his latest game against Georgia Tech, he started to return to his previous form and logged 22 points and five rebounds, shooting 69.2% from the floor. Tomorrow afternoon, he will be a major X-factor in the Cavaliers' ability to seal a victory.

Jacari White

Since returning from his injury, senior guard Jacari White has been bouncing back and is posting fairly strong results. His most productive night since returning was on Feb. 10 against Florida State, when he recorded 19 points, four rebounds and two assists. His last performance on Feb. 18 wasn't nearly as impactful, but he is often a game-changing player. As Odom described two weeks ago:

"You know, Jacari, we need him. We told him that a couple of weeks ago, as he was beginning to come back. You know, he's an important player. He was an important player in the preseason and in the non-conference season. If we can really get him playing in a positive way as he did tonight and in the last two games, it's going to be really helpful for our team and our overall depth."

More Virginia Basketball News:

•Preview and Final Score Prediction For No. 15 Virginia vs Florida State

•How to Watch No. 15 Virginia vs Florida State: Tipoff Time and TV Channel

•How Valuable Has Ugonna Onyenso Been To The Success Of The Virginia Cavaliers?

•Why Duke's Loss to North Carolina Was Huge for Virginia and Their Quest To Be ACC's Top Team

•Virginia Ranked No.15 In The Latest AP Basketball Poll Rankings