Virginia’s Path to Victory Against Wright State in NCAA Tournament

Once Friday afternoon rolls around, the Virginia Cavaliers will be gearing up for tipoff against the Wright State Raiders. Now, the Hoos remain a large favorite over the Raiders, and while this isn't likely to change, this doesn't mean the Cavaliers won't need to step up on both sides of the ball.

Wright State is riding 23-11 overall and 15-5 in conference play, ultimately leading the Horizon conference. Virginia is 29-5 overall and 15-3 in the ACC, but they've endured a few deflating losses this year, particularly to the Duke Blue Devils. As head coach Ryan Odom stated after the Cavaliers' latest loss:

"As it relates to the game, our guys stood tall. We obviously didn't win. Duke made the plays that they needed to make down the stretch to finish it out. I thought we had a good opportunity there when it was tied, but it just didn't go our way today. We certainly are excited about what's to come. We're very disappointed right now, but looking forward to what's next."

Their First Round matchup against Wright State is creeping up quickly, leaving little time for further preparation. Virginia is accustomed to tough competition, and facing the Raiders will be no different. Coming out on top will, of course, be a challenging undertaking, but the Cavaliers have one primary task that they must check off in order to defeat the Raiders.

UVA’s Path Relies on One Key Area

Virginia Cavaliers Thijs De Ridder celebrating during a game — Virginia Cavaliers forward Thijs De Ridder | Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

Virginia doesn't come with any striking disadvantages in this matchup, but many of their leading scorers are first-year players who are going to be making their first appearance in the acclaimed NCAA Tournament.

Thijs De Ridder is a first-year forward, and he leads the Cavaliers with an average of 15.5 points per game, but Chance Mallory is another key youngster who averages 9.5 points per game. De Ridder is also the leading rebounder (6.2) and freshman Johann Grünloh follows up with 5.2 rebounds per game.

Needless to say, as valuable as the veteran stars are, Virginia's young guns have been a driving force for head coach Ryan Odom's program this year. But entering the NCAA Tournament is a massive stage in their collegiate career, and not having prior experience in March Madness, the Hoos must be careful not to get caught up in the excitement and external noise.

If the Hoos want to make a deep run this year, maintaining composure and focus will be key.