Ultimate Guide to Cavaliers in Philadelphia: Hoos NCAA Tournament Quad Breakdown

The Virginia Cavaliers are approaching their First Round matchup against the Wright State Raiders on Friday afternoon. The Hoos enter as a No. 3 seed, while the Raiders landed the No. 14 seed in the Midwest Region.

How To Watch

Who: No. 3 seed Virginia vs. No. 14 seed Wright State
When: Fray, March 20, 1:50 p.m. ET
Venue: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pa.
TV: TBS, Sling TV, NCAA March Madness Live
Radio: Virginia Sports Radio Network

Seeds and Records

No. 3 seed Virginia, 29-5, ACC
No. 14 Wright State, 23-11, Horizon League
No. 6 Tennessee, 22-11, SEC
No. 11 Miami (OH), MAC

KenPom Rankings

Virginia: 13th overall (+26.68), No 27 offensive efficiency, No. 16 defensive efficiency
Wright State: 140th overall (+1.98), No. 118 offensive efficiency, No. 194 defensive efficiency
Tennessee:16th overall (+25.99), No. 34 offensive efficiency, No. 25 defensive efficiency
Miami (OH): 93rd overall (+8.17), No. 70 offensive efficiency, No. 158 defensive efficiency

Key Cavalier To Know

Of course, Thijs De Ridder is the top to know out of the Cavaliers. He leads the Hoos in points (15.5), and in rebounds (6.2). Not only is he incredibly productive at the basket, but his 6'9" frame is intimidating for opponents, and certainly gives him a leg up on defense.

Key Raider To Know

Michael Imariagbe is a 6'7" forward for Wright State, and currently leads the program with an impressive seven rebounds per game. He also ranks third among the Raiders in points (11.8) and third in assists (1.8).

Key Volunteer To Know

Keep on eye on Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee's high-scoring guard, who averages a clean 18 points per game, along with 2.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists, shooting 40.7% from the floor. To add to his already jaw-dropping numbers, during a Feb. 28 matchup against Alabama, he logged eight steals, along with his 26 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

Key RedHawk To Know

Peter Suder is the top name for Miami (OH). He leads his team in points (14.6), rankings third in rebounds (4.6) and fourth in assists per game (4.0). As their top scorer, the RedHawks heavily rely on him to produce offensively, so he's worth applying pressure to throughout the NCAA Tournament.

Style of Play

Virginia: This is a balanced squad, and one that could very well control the outcome of March Madness. Throughout the year, the Hoos have reaped benefits from their quality bench, which is an area that many programs tend to struggle with.

Wright State: The Raiders are far from the most powerful offensive unit in college basketball, but they are quite efficient. Between Michael Cooper, TJ Burch and Imariagbe, they don't show much hesitation at the basket.

Tennessee: Defense is the name of the game when it comes to the Volunteers. Their offense doesn't stand out as anything spectacular, but rather, their defense is the point of emphasis. The balance isn't quite there, which could ultimately hurt them in their upcoming matchup.

Miami (OH): Averaging 90.7 points per game, it's clear that this is a team that manages to find its way to the basket even in the most uncertain of times. Facing the RedHawks will be no easy feat, but keeping their offensive tendencies in mind will be imperative.

Best Wins This Year

Virginia: Notre Dame (100-97 2OT on Jan. 27), Miami (86-83 on Feb. 21), Virginia Tech (76-72 on March 7)

Wright State: OWU (100-47 on Nov. 20), NKU (92-91 on Feb. 28), NKU (103-90 on March 9)

Tennessee: Texas A&M (87-82 2OT on Jan. 13), Alabama (79-73 on Jan. 24), Vanderbilt (69-65 on Feb. 21)

Miami (OH): Trinity Christian (129-49 on Nov. 7), Kent State (107-101 OT on Jan. 20), Ohio (110-108 OT on March 6)

Historical Notes

Virginia: This will mark UVA's 27th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and their first appearance since 2024. The Cavaliers have won national championship under their belt from their 2019 victory over Texas Tech.

Wright State: The Raiders will be entering the Tournament for their first time since 2022. In total, they have made five appearances, but have yet to clinch the national title since entering Division I play.

Tennessee: This is the Volunteers' eighth consecutive appearance, all of which were a No. 6 seed or better. However, they are still chasing their first win.