CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers defeated the Miami Hurricanes 84-62 in the ACC Tournament semifinals on Friday night. The victory improves Virginia’s overall record to 29-4 and secures the program’s first trip to the conference title game since 2023.
First-year head coach Ryan Odom credited his team’s defensive intensity for the win. Virginia will play the winner of the Duke and Clemson matchup for the ACC Championship on Saturday.
Virginia took control late in the first half, executing a 13-2 scoring run over the final 2:47. The surge was capped by a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Charlottesville native Chance Mallory, giving the Cavaliers a 38-23 lead at halftime.
“In our minds, it was just a regular shot,” Mallory said during the post-game press conference. Mallory finished the night with 12 points.
Center Ugonna Onyenso anchored Virginia’s performance, scoring a team-high 17 points on 8-for-9 shooting while recording four blocked shots. Teammates Mallory and Malik Thomas, who added 15 points, emphasized that Onyenso’s interior rim protection allowed the perimeter defenders to apply heavier pressure.
Thijs De Ridder and Sam Lewis contributed heavily to the offensive output, scoring 16 points each. Odom also highlighted the team’s physical resilience, noting that Johann Grünloh played through a severe wrist injury sustained on Thursday.
Miami struggled against Virginia’s defensive front. The Hurricanes shot 39 percent from the field and were outrebounded by the Cavaliers 38-26.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Odom reflected on succeeding former head coach Tony Bennett. Odom described Bennett as “the most humble National Championship coach to ever do it” and referred to himself as the current steward of the Virginia program.
Odom’s opportunity to win the ACC Championship on Saturday comes exactly 30 years after his father, Dave Odom, won his second consecutive ACC Tournament title as the head coach of Wake Forest in 1996. The matchup represents a major milestone in collegiate sports for the newly transitioned coaching staff.