![\"NCAA](\"https:\/\/images.deadspin.com\/tr:w-900\/27695104.jpg\")
Nov 28, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Ryan Odom reacts after a call against the Queens University of Charlotte Royals during the first half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\nWill old acquaintances be forgot? Not when longtime adversaries Virginia Tech and No. 21 Virginia clash on New Year’s Eve in Blacksburg, Va.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Wednesday afternoon’s Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams is an intriguing matchup as it pits resurgent rivals coming off rare losing seasons.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n After going 13-19 in 2024-25, the host Hokies (11-2) are two wins away from matching last year’s victory total.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Meanwhile the Cavaliers (11-1), who are coming off a 15-17 performance, are off to their best start since opening 16-0 during their 2018-19 national championship season.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Both teams have much to prove. Virginia has played just one true road game, an 88-69 win at Texas in the ACC\/SEC Challenge on Dec. 3. The Cavaliers now face six of their next nine games in hostile ACC arenas.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “Just go up and down every conference member and you take notice there are a lot of good records out there,” first-year Virginia coach Ryan Odom said. “We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us and the first one is at Virginia Tech.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The two losses for the Hokies came in less than 24 hours against mid-major teams VCU and St. Mary’s during the Battle 4 Atlantis from Nov. 27-28. Virginia Tech won both of its tests against power conference foes, South Carolina and Providence, both in overtime.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “This team’s got a lot to them — high-character people, they care,” coach Mike Young said of his Hokies. “They want to play the right way. They want to share the ball.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Virginia Tech has been idle since an 82-81 overtime victory on Dec. 20 against Elon, which led by as many as 19 points in the first half.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n Amani Hansberry fueled the comeback with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Christian Gurdak contributed a career-high 17 points.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Hokies struggled early against Elon as they were without their primary ball-handler, 6-foot-9 Neoklis Avdalas (14.6 points, 5.0 assists per game), because of an illness.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “He kinda reminds you of Luka (Doncic) in some ways with his ability to see the floor, shoot the basketball and get assists,” Odom said of Avdalas. “(He) provides a big matchup problem.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Matching up with Virginia also is problematic as the Cavaliers have a pair of 7-footers, Johann Grunloh and Ugonna Onyenso, who average a combined 15.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.1 blocks per game.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Virginia’s top scorer is Thijs De Ridder, a 22-year-old freshman from Belgium averaging 16.1 points. He poured in a season-high 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting in the Cavaliers’ last game, a 95-51 rout of American on Dec. 22.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “UVA really shoots the ball well and they’re way up in the country in grabbing their own misses,” Young said, referring to the Cavaliers’ 41% offensive rebounding rate, which ranks No. 6 in Division I.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Virginia will be without Jacari White, who set a program record earlier this year when he made 12 straight 3-point attempts. Last week, White underwent surgery to repair a broken wrist on his non-shooting hand.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Cavaliers have five other long-distance threats who have made at least 13 shots from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “The strength of this team is its depth,” Odom said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The teams split last season’s meetings, with each winning on the other’s home floor.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n