Virginia and Virginia Tech are opening their 2025-2026 ACC Basketball schedules on Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg.
Forecast
- KenPom: Virginia 80-76
- BartTorvik: Virginia 79-75
- ESPN BPI: Virginia +4.5
Game coverage
Virginia Tech 7, UVA 4, 15:42/1st
Virginia scored on its first two possessions; has now gone 3:20 without a bucket.
One shot-clock violation, a couple of bad misses from three.
The ball is moving a little slow on the offensive end.
Virginia Tech 13, UVA 7, 11:15/1st
Woo, boy. The ‘Hoos are 2-of-13 from the floor, 1-of-8 from three.
The threes look like they’re being short-armed, almost like the guys aren’t getting good reads on the backdrop.
Cassell is a tough place to shoot, with the stands right above the basket.
The Hokies are taking away driving lanes.
Tech has four offensive rebounds and six second-chance points.
Virginia Tech 15, UVA 11, 7:18/1st
The pace of this game isn’t reflected in the score.
Each team has had 22 possessions, which translates to a 69 possession/40 minutes pace.
I guess we can look at this one like the Maryland game: the offense sucks right now, but the work on D is keeping them in it.
Tech is 6-of-21 from the floor, 1-of-6 from three; UVA is 4-of-18 from the floor, 1-of-11 from three.
Virginia Tech 23, UVA 19, 3:03/1st
Virginia has begun running some middle third, basically the high pick and roll at the top, to create either a lob pass to the cutting big, or a floater.
The lob worked once; the floater from Chance Mallory was a good look that rimmed out.
A lot of Virginia misses are rim-outs.
Half: UVA 24, Virginia Tech 23
What an odd half of basketball.
Both teams average 80+ per game, and the score is Tony Bennett.
The pace slowed slightly in the final stretch: we finished at 33 possessions per team, so, a 66/40 minutes pace.
Shooting: abysmal.
- Virginia: 9-of-31.
- Virginia Tech: 9-of-33.
Neither getting much penetration: each has six shots at the rim.
Game tied at 31-31, 15:36/2nd
Chris Spatola is the color commentator for ACCN on this one. He’s an absolute dipshit. I’m thisclose to watching on mute.
Neither of the ACCN guys seems to know a thing about either team.
Your job is to study even a sliver before you get to the arena.
Basketball-wise: Virginia continues to be off. No excuses. Just not good today.
Virginia 38, Virginia Tech 36, 11:46/2nd
This game is like watching tape of a live root canal.
I think maybe the game ops people did something to tighten both rims.
I’ve never seen more shots rim out.
Usually, that evens out.
Virginia Tech 44, UVA 43, 6:54/2nd
Virginia Tech is going to win this game, purely on effort.
Thirteen offensive rebounds, 14-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Thijs de Ridder is still on the holiday break: five points, five turnovers in 23 minutes.
Virginia Tech 49, UVA 48, 4:34/2nd
Virginia Tech has attempted 15 free throws, Virginia just six, despite the two teams having a basically equal number of attempts at the rim (UVA 13, VT 12).
OT: 55-55
Devin Tillis missed with five seconds left, Ben Hammond missed at the buzzer.
And, we go to a second OT: 68-68
Virginia had ample chances to close it out, but couldn’t.
And now, a third: 78-78
Chance Mallory with a stick back of an airball at the buzzer. Virginia trailed by five with 14 seconds left.
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Chris Graham
