Why The Virginia Cavaliers Are The Biggest Final Four Sleeper In The Country

Are the Virginia Cavaliers the Final Four sleeper nobody is talking about?

Virginia Cavaliers guard Sam Lewis | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers have been having a dominant basketball season this year. Currently ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 25, the UVA has rallied for some truly gripping victories over the past few months.

Their latest contest was perhaps one of their most invigorating yet, facing Notre Dame in a double overtime thriller, ultimately sealing a tight 100-97 victory. Now, their overall record stands at 17-3 while running 6-2 in conference play.

At this point in the season, it's hard to imagine a world in which the Cavaliers wouldn't see at least some level of success once the end of the regular season nears. Unsurprisingly, top teams such as Arizona, UConn, Michigan and Duke are the top headliners in men's basketball right now, leaving several rising programs in the shadows. This is true for the Cavaliers, who could end up being a major sleeper this year.

Is UVA a Final Four Sleeper?

Virginia Cavaliers forward Thijs De Ridder | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Despite head coach Ryan Odom still navigating his first year at Virginia, he has done a fine job of guiding his program throughout the season. Not only is he in his first year at UVA, but his roster heading into this year was incredibly fresh, with few returning players. This season could have easily gone against them, but their ability to stay on the same page is one key to the Final Four, and Odom and his players are not getting nearly enough recognition for that. As Odom stated during a press conference earlier in the month:

"I think the first thing is you have to bring people in that fit the school and that fit the coaching and the style. Certainly, you know, we feel like we've done really well with the guys that we have here. The character is extremely strong. They've connected. We've done a lot of things. Nothing earth-shattering that other coaches aren't doing. [We’re] just spending time together, you know, and making it a point to be together, be present..."

Beyond their seamless ability to mesh, the Cavaliers are equipped with an explosive offense with a drive to compete right up until the buzzer sounds off. Of course, they've had some hiccups on defense this year, but even in that realm, they've shown substantial improvements. This is essentially a program that was built from the ground up in a relatively short period of time.

Between shocking wins in the ACC, as well as their record outside of conference play, they've been adding to their resume this season. The Cavaliers have largely been flying under the radar, but this could change very soon, and a Final Four placement could be on the horizon.