No. 9 Virginia has its work cut out for it in November.
In just the third game of the season, the Cavaliers will play No. 12 Arkansas in Washington D.C., then five days later play an always-scrappy Maryland on the road.
In other words, Virginia is likely to find itself in some tight contests to start the campaign.
Last year, the Cavaliers had a roster that held its own in close second halves. Dallin Hall, Malik Thomas, and Jacari White were all experienced offensive creators who kept Virginia in a number of games. But Hall is now at Utah State, and Thomas and White are both overseas. Ugonna Onyenso, the Cavaliers’ bench center whose rebounding and shot-blocking prowess won them a number of games, is also elsewhere, on a two-way contract with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons.
Despite the retention of three starters and a sixth man, the Cavaliers do not have the same surefire idea of who is going to be relied on to close games. With early tests around the corner, the question of whose hands the ball will be in at the end of games is due to be answered soon, but a few leading options are already apparent.
Thijs De Ridder
The ACC Preseason Player of the Year, Thijs De Ridder, is likely to be Virginia’s number one option this season. Last year, De Ridder led the team in scoring and field goals, earning an All-ACC First Team nod in the spring.
An efficient scorer who plays well through contact, De Ridder gets opponents in foul trouble and can hunt for mismatches late in the game. He uses his size and strength well in the post and possesses good touch that lets him score off-balance at the rim and in the midrange.
When deciding who will close out games, De Ridder will be an easy choice for Odom on days when his offense is firing. An experienced scorer with size, physicality, and touch is a rarity in the college game, meaning that De Ridder will likely continue to be the Cavaliers’ top option in close games.
Chance Mallory
Second-year guard Chance Mallory was phenomenal off the bench last season and is expected to be even better in his sophomore campaign. Now a starter, Mallory possesses a number of traits that could lead to him having the ball in his hands in close games.
Notably, Mallory gets to the line often. He led Virginia in free-throw rate last season, making 77.5%. According to BartTorvik, less than a fifth of his baskets at the rim were assisted, and being able to create one’s own offense is a vital skill in close games when teammates are tired and shot clocks are winding down.
If Mallory can take a step as a shooter — especially off the dribble — it is easy to see him having the ball in his hands in the clutch. His offensive rebounding and defensive playmaking are enough to keep him on the floor already, but any growth offensively could see Mallory blossom into a star for the Cavaliers.
Others
Though De Ridder and Mallory project to be the team’s two offensive fulcrums, Virginia has a talented roster with a number of other players who could be relied upon in high-stakes situations.
Sam Lewis was a solid starter for the Cavaliers as a junior, thriving as an off-ball shooter and cutter. In his second year in Odom’s offense, Lewis could find the ball in his hands more often. Last year, Lewis proved to be a real difference-maker in close matchups, scoring 20 in a half against NC State, hitting a game-tying three against Notre Dame, and averaging 15 points per game in the ACC Tournament. With a bigger role on offense and more reps as an on-ball creator, Lewis could certainly be relied upon in clutch situations this season.
Though portal additions Jurian Dixon and Christian Harmon came off the bench in both of Virginia’s exhibition games, both are joining from mid-majors where they were tasked with hefty offensive workloads. In both cases, they showed an ability to take over games on their previous teams, taking a combined 397 threes last season and making 144. In a scaled-down role, either could take a leap as an effective offensive creator who can help Virginia pull away in a tight game.
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