Virginia Cavaliers Basketball Preview 2026-27

Head coach Ryan Odom had a fantastic first season with Virginia Basketball. Can the 52-year-old build off last year’s success and lead the Cavaliers to a run reminiscent of Tony Bennett’s mid-2010s teams?

Virginia Basketball Preview 2026-27

Odom, who is known for elevating programs, led Virginia to a 30-6 overall record, including 15-3 in ACC play. The Cavaliers finished second to Duke in ACC regular-season play and then fell to the Blue Devils in a very tight conference tournament championship game (74-70). But the ‘Hoos fell to No.6 seed Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament second round, failing to get to the event’s second weekend for the sixth year in a row. Granted, they missed the Tournament twice during that span.

Advertisement

Still, 30 wins were quite the accomplishment in Odom’s first season in Charlottesville. It marked a 15-game improvement from the season prior. Also, it was the Cavaliers’ first 30-win campaign since 2018-19.

While Bennett’s Cavaliers — the Hoos posted a .728 winning percentage and won the 2019 NCAA championship during his 15-year tenure — won because of their stifling pack-line defense, last year’s club ranked in the top 60 nationally both offensively and defensively.

Last season, the Cavaliers ranked 26th in offensive efficiency in 2026-27 and 73rd in scoring (80.4), as they were among the top 3-point-shooting teams and didn’t turn the ball over much. Defensively, the Hoos were 59th in the country in team rating and 54th in scoring defense (68.8), holding opponents to 39.8% from the field and 31.6% from 3-point range.

Odom, the son of longtime college coach Dave Odom, came to Virginia after two years at VCU. Overall, Odom has a 231-123 record in 11 seasons as head coach with nine winning campaigns. He has won four conference titles (2 regular-season and 2 conference tournament) and led four teams to an NCAA Tournament berth.

Advertisement

Last week, Odom signed a contract extension that will keep him in Charlottesville through 2032.

“Coach Odom has made a distinct and immediate impact on our program,” Virginia athletic director Carla Williams said at the time of the extension. “He has instilled a strong sense of family and established a deep connection to the University for the young men within our program. Ryan is a fierce competitor who is committed to the values and legacy of this storied program. He is a winner, and we are excited about the future of Virginia Men’s Basketball under his leadership.”

Virginia Basketball 2026-27 Squad

Odom got great news this offseason when 2025-26 All-ACC first-team selection Thijs De Ridder decided to return. De Ridder, one of seven returning players including three starters, was everything the Cavaliers could have hoped for after spending several years playing in Europe. The 23-year-old is a versatile scorer who can stretch the floor and is a good rebounder. He averaged 15.6 points on 50.8% shooting, 6.2 rebounds (2.4 offensive) and 1.1 threes at a 35.7% clip.

Advertisement

Guards Sam Lewis and Chance Mallory are back as well. Lewis, who started 35 of 36 games, became one of the Hoos’ most productive and efficient perimeter scorers last season. He was third on the team with 10.6 points a game and scored 20+ points twice.

Mallory projects to start at point guard this upcoming season after coming off the bench in 2024-25. The 5-10 guard, who was the consensus 57th-rated recruit in 2025,  provided scoring, excellent ball security, and pesky defense. He averaged 9.3 points on 42.2% shooting from the field and 1.1 threes at a 34.5% clip while recording 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals.

Additionally, starting center Johann Grunloh also returns. Grunloh became one of the most disruptive bigs in the ACC last season due to his physicality, mobility and rim protection. The 7-footer averaged 7.1 points on 53.3%, 5.2 rebounds (2.4 offensive) and 2.2 blocks.

Odom Brings In 8 Newcomers

Odom also brought in eight newcomers, including four transfers.

Advertisement

UC Irvine transfer Jurian Dixon leads the newcomers. Dixon showed massive improvement in his second collegiate season. The 6-4, high-energy guard is a shot-maker with real shot-making ability. He averaged nearly 16 points a game, scoring 20 or more points seven times, and 2.0 threes with shooting splits of 43.0/38.5/79.5 a season ago.

Arkansas State transfer Christian Harmon is a physical, tough wing who is a high-volume shooter. After playing his first two seasons at junior college, Harmon averaged 12.8 points — topping 20 points seven times, including a 33-point effort against South Alabama — and 2.6 threes a game.

Six-foot-8 forward Kalu Anya redshirted last year at St. Louis. Anya is an outstanding rebounder and a versatile physical defender.

Jan Vide, a 6-6 Slovenian wing, had a breakout season at Loyola Marymount last season. Vide is a big guard who can initiate the offense and is a good downhill driver. The 21-year-old scored in double figures in 19 of 27 games, topping the 20-point mark four times. He finished last year with 12.1 points and 4.o asssits.

Advertisement

In addition, Odom brought in highly experienced German forward Nolan Adekunle. Adekunle, who played for German club Gladiators Tier the last two seasons, is an efficient scorer and an excellent shooter off the catch, particularly on corner 3s. He is also an aggressive rebounder and a versatile defender who can guard 1-4.

Three-star Favour Ibe is Virginia’s top high school recruit. Ibe, originally from Nigeria, is a 7-1 center and long-term prospect who figures to back up Grunloh. He played at Mt. Zion Prep (Maryland), where he averaged 18.8 points, 12,7 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks.

Hoos’ 2026-27 Rotation

Last year, Odom used a nine-man rotation. He used the same starting lineup in 35 of 36 games. Expect him to go with no more than nine regulars.

Advertisement

PG: Chance Mallory

SG: Sam Lewis

SF: Jurian Dixon

PF: Thijs De Ridder

C: Johan Grunloh

Bench

6th: Nolan Akunle

7th: Kalu Anya

8th: Jan Vide

9th: Christian Harmon

10th: Martin Carrere or Favour Ibe

Deep Reserves:

Elijah Gertrude, Silas Barksdale. Carter Lang, Owen Odom, Nick Rotter, Quincy Watson

Virginia Basketball 2026-27 Schedule

Virginia hasn’t yet released its complete schedule. But the games announced all have some intrigue.

Virginia will face Arkansas in the Capital Showcase in Washington, D.C., on November 8. The Cavaliers then make the trek to College Park to face Maryland on November 13. The Hoos will participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis (opponents to be determined) and also host Kentucky in the ACC/SEC Challenge.