Notes, quotes and takeaways from Virginia Basketball At ACC Media Tipoff

Once Ryan Odom knew that he’d have one of the nation’s most experienced men’s basketball teams, he prioritized challenging it as much as possible.

Odom’s Virginia Cavaliers will face a daunting nonconference schedule before jumping into Atlantic Coast Conference play. Included are neutral-site games against Arkansas (in Washington) and UConn (in New York), as well as a home game against Kentucky, a visit to Maryland, and matchups against Marquette and Xavier in the Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas.

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The schedule was designed to test the veteran Cavaliers and prepare them for the pressures that come with an expected NCAA tournament bid. The games against Arkansas and UConn will be played in NBA arenas, which often host postseason play. And there’s a day off in the Bahamas, just as there is between NCAA tournament games.

“I it could benefit us long-term, but I think the biggest thing was we wanted to challenge ourselves in the nonconference to get us ready for what we know is going to be a really tough ACC this year,” Odom said. “I think all players want to play in big games, and all coaches want to coach in big games, and we’ve certainly provided these guys with that opportunity this year.”

Kentucky was assigned as Virginia’s opponent in the annual ACC/SEC Challenge, but the other games were voluntary. A few nonconference losses to powerful opponents shouldn’t hurt the Cavaliers when the NCAA bids are handed out, especially with an expanded field of 76.

“You can schedule whoever you want, but you might not be ready for it,” Odom said. “This is a proud program. Virginia deserves to play in big games.”

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High expectations

Official polls should be released soon, but Virginia is expected to finish near the top of the ACC standings and could be ranked in the top 10 or 15 in the nation entering the season.

Aside from an 8-11 record as interim head coach at Charlotte in 2014-15, Odom has had only one losing record in 12 seasons at five different schools (16-17…

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Publish date : 2026-10-08 22:00:00

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