Fans still getting used to the new style of UVA Basketball under first-year coach Ryan Odom are worried that the new-look ‘Hoos are shooting too many threes.
In the opener against Rider, an 87-53 win, Virginia was 8-of-30 from three; in the 81-62 win over NC Central in Game 2, UVA was 14-of-36 from behind the arc.
That’s 33.0 threes attempted per game, through two games.
For reference, the 2024-2025 UVA team averaged 22.2 attempts from three per game; the 2023-2024 team, the final group coached by Tony Bennett, put up (gulp!) 18.1 per game.
If you’re a regular reader of my UVA hoops columns, you might remember me warning you: Odom likes the three.
The Odom approach values, first, guards attacking the paint, two, no shots in the midrange, and three, loads of threes.
It’s only taken two games for us to see how that works.
Shooting zones vs. Rider
- At the rim: 16-of-25
- In the paint 2s: 5-of-5
- Midrange 2s: 1-of-4
- Threes: 8-of-30
Shooting zones vs. NC Central
- At the rim: 10-of-16
- In the paint 2s: 4-of-8
- Midrange 2s: 0-of-1
- Threes: 14-of-36
Other points of emphasis for Odom: offensive rebounds/second-chance points, points in transition, getting to the free-throw line.
Again, it’s two games, but we’re seeing the results already.
- 2025-2026 offensive rebounds per game: 21.0
2024-2025 offensive rebounds per game: 6.8 - 2025-2026 second-chance points per game: 23.0
2024-2025 second-chance points per game: 8.4 - 2025-2026 fast-break points per game: 14.5
2024-2025 fast-break points per game: 4.1 - 2025-2026 free-throw attempts per game: 26.5
2024-2025 free-throw attempts per game: 13.7
One thing that hasn’t changed, much, is: pace.
It seems like the new guys play at warp speed, but the tempo numbers tell us otherwise.
- 2025-2026 possessions per game: 62.8
2024-2025 possessions per game: 60.4
Data: CBB Analytics
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Chris Graham
