Three Things To Watch For On Saturday When No.16 Virginia Hosts No.22 North Carolina

Virginia will be back on the hardwood on Saturday at noon after their game got moved up due to the weather expected to hit Charlottesville. The Cavaliers picked up two impressive road wins over Louisville and SMU. They will now be back in front of their home crowd to play an arch-rival in the North Carolina Tar Heels. Head coach Ryan Odom talked about the Virginia-North Carolina rivalry.

“Great games, you know, all throughout the series. You know, my personal memories are, you know, I can remember in University Hall, I was a ball boy, you know, throwing the ball back to, ball back to Michael Jordan, Kenny Smith, Jeff Lebo. One of my craziest memories was, I think it was right, the three-point line had just been added several years before. I think Carolina had stolen the ball, and Jeff Lebo was ahead. And we had one player back on defense near the rim, and he stopped, and he shot a three, you know, on the break. Which, back then, you would never really do that. I remember as a kid going, " Man, that's pretty cool. I'd love to do that. But some great history, obviously great coaches, you know, both programs certainly this will be another opportunity for Virginia and Carolina to get together,” said Odom.

Let’s take a look at three things to watch for.

1. Can the Hoos slow down Caleb Wilson

latest — Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) reacts in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Caleb Wilson has been a freshman sensation and played at a high level for the Tar Heels. He is currently fourth in the ACC in scoring, averaging 19.8 points and 58% shooting from the field. Wilson leads the ACC with 10.4 rebounds per game. Wilson has crossed the 20-point mark 13 times this season and has produced 11 double-doubles. He has been practically impossible to stop, and a thorn opponents side all season long. He can face up, drive, penetrate, shoot, and defend at a high level. He is a sure-fire lottery pick for the NBA Draft in June. Yes, he is that good. Head coach Ryan Odom talked about how to slow down Wilson.

“We're just going to have to do our best. No different than we do in any other game. They provide, you know, a stiff challenge. (Caleb)Wilson's tremendous. You know, one of the best freshmen in the country. And certainly, you know, we'll be playing in the NBA. You know, in space, he's really tough to deal with. He can make hard shots. I think their offense is excellent. You know, their defense has been really good this season. The balance of the two has been there for them. So their metrics are still there. You know, so I'm confident in their team and certainly their coaching and, you know, looking forward to getting on the court with them.”

2. Will Malik Thomas continue the elite shooting?

Malik Thomas has been on fire from beyond the arc and has been carrying the Cavaliers offensively in the last two outings, nailing six three pointers in each contest vs. Louisville and SMU. The Hoos can have anybody go off on any given night. However, their second-leading scorer has been dynamite and has been able to contribute on both ends of the floor. Thijs De Ridder and Johann Grünloh will garner a lot of the attention, which the defense will cater to, but that could open more opportunities for Thomas on the perimeter. If he can knock down those shots with regularity, then the Hoos should come out on top. It is easier said than done, but Thomas' shooting and what he has been doing on the defensive end have made the Cavaliers an elite basketball team.

“I always go back to the defense with Malik. I think that's one of his biggest areas of improvement. He's shooting the ball much better. His catching shots are on the uptick right now. When he has some room and rhythm there, he's confident in his shot. He's also shooting the turn a little bit better, which is good for us and for him. But, again, it goes back to our defense has taken a jump because his individual defense has taken a jump,” said Odom.

3. Will the Hoos capture its second AP Top 25 win?

Virginia is looking to bolster its already impressive NCAA resume. Virginia is 4-2 in Quad 1 games this season and will have a chance to add another one to its credit on Saturday. Virginia is ranked No.14, and the Tar Heels are ranked No.27. North Carolina is ranked No.22 in the country in the AP Poll. Virginia can add another AP Top 25 after defeating Louisville 10 days ago. They will have to get it done with their defense and not letting the Tar Heels get in rhythm. Guys off the bench like Chance Mallory and Jacari White will have to be key contributors and help the Hoos put up points. Rebounding will also be big for Virginia, and keeping North Carolina off the glass looms large. The less offensive rebounds mean fewer opportunities for second-chance points.

“Yeah, it'll be huge (rebounding battle). It's always huge for us. You know, if we can, you know, defend at a high level and corral rebounds, it helps a lot of things. You know, it helps our offense, you know, in transition. It certainly helps our defense, you know, in terms of keeping others from scoring. So fouling limits the fouls because a lot of times offensive rebounds end up as fouls. And so it's an important part of the game. There's no doubt about it.

Virginia will have a sold-out crowd to play in front of and an opportunity to make more noise as one of the tougher stretches of their schedule comes to an end. Will they emerge victorious over the Tar Heels?

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