Three Things To Watch As Virginia Basketball Hosts Drexel

Tonight, Virginia men's basketball is back in John Paul Jones Arena. The 2026-27 campaign gets underway against visiting Drexel — and the Cavaliers are massive favorites.

But even though the game's final score is inevitably going to be a Virginia blowout, there are still things worth keeping an eye on in this game. The Cavaliers' coaching staff will treat this as a valuable test, just like any other regular season game.

Here are three developments to watch tonight as Virginia's season begins:

What lineups get rolled out?

Coach Ryan Odom has the pieces to field one of the best teams in college basketball. The only real question is about how those pieces are utilized. Perhaps Odom experiments with small ball, big lineups, five shoot-first players or even an all-defensive set. The possibilities are vast.

With the result of the game never in doubt, this is a good opportunity to tinker around with different lineups. In particular, how can Silas Barksdale and Martin Carrere be used — even if they aren't playing consistent minutes?

Can Elijah Gertrude carry momentum into the regular season?

Perhaps the most intriguing preseason development was that Gertrude looked like a startable player. He was ultra-efficient from long distance, held his own defensively and even looked the part of a point guard. Gertrude's development could change the ceiling of this team.

Gertrude will undoubtedly have the chance to play heavy minutes tonight, as Virginia's chances of victory should never dip below 99%. So, what will Gertrude do with that playing time?

How does Favour Ibe look?

Ibe is a giant — checking in at 7-foot-1 and 248 pounds of mainly muscle. He should be able to dominate the paint a la Giannis Antetokounmpo, particularly against a struggling Dragons program. Ibe has some big shoes to fill, quite literally. NBA-bound Ugonna Onyenso was the heart of Virginia's defense down the stretch.

If Ibe can show some offensive production, Virginia would be glad to have it. However, his primary responsibility lies on defense. Can Ibe be an elite blocker immediately at the start of his true freshman season? That is an answer Odom would probably like to find out sooner rather than later.

Once the Cavaliers jump out to a big lead, expect Johann Grunloh, Thijs De Ridder and other core veterans to hit the bench early. They'll have a front row seat to the bench mob and underclassmen in action.

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