The Virginia Cavaliers showed resilience after a tough loss to Virginia Tech earlier in the week, securing a 76-61 victory over NC State. Starting with their usual lineup, which included Malik Thomas, Sam Lewis, Dallin Hall, Thijs De Ridder, and Johann Grünloh, the team managed to turn things around. Here are three key takeaways from the game.

Sam Lewis Leads UVA

In recent games, the top performers for Virginia have typically been Dallin Hall, Johann Grünloh, and Thijs De Ridder. However, this time, it was junior guard Sam Lewis who took the spotlight, scoring a total of 23 points and leading both teams in scoring. NC State’s Quadir Copeland came in second with 15 points.

Lewis, standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 210 pounds, is now averaging 8.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Head coach Ryan Odom praised Lewis’s performance, stating:

“Hey, we don’t always have a first option, quite honestly. I mean we do have a leading scorer, you know, everywhere I’ve coached, you know, it’s all the open guys, the go-to guy, and certainly we run plays for specific guys at times, but it’s more about moving the ball. The ball will find you, and it’s your turn. And Sam was ready tonight. His teammates found him, and he knocked it down. We have tremendous confidence in Sam and his ability to make shots and make the right play.”

Foul Trouble Continues

Both Virginia and NC State struggled with fouling during the game. This issue is not uncommon for either program, as they are known for being among the most foul-prone teams in the ACC. As Virginia accumulated fouls throughout the match, head coach Ryan Odom expressed frustration.

“We talked about, you know, our ability to force misses, and our guys have done that all year. Our two-point field goal percentage has been really good. Our three-point percentage defense has been really good, so teams get to the free-throw line. And some of that is as a function of us not being disciplined enough or consistently enough to be physical and hit people, to then come up with rebounds. And so like, we can’t go out like that. Like we have to be a team that’s going to be physical, that’s going to defensive rebound. All right. Because that really helps our offense when we’re able to do that.”

UVA on the Board in the ACC

The Cavaliers faced a setback in their first ACC matchup against Virginia Tech, which wasn’t an ideal start to conference play. However, they quickly bounced back, with much of their success today attributed to Sam Lewis, Malik Thomas, and Chance Mallory. Lewis led the game in scoring with 23 points, while Thomas was the top rebounder with seven boards. Mallory contributed four assists, making him the leader in assists for the Cavaliers.

Overall, Virginia had a strong performance, which could set the tone for the rest of the season. Their ability to recover from a loss and dominate in the next game shows their potential and determination.

More Virginia Basketball News:
– The Plus/Minus: Virginia rebounds, Stomps NC State
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