![\"NCAA](\"https:\/\/images.deadspin.com\/tr:w-900\/28277125.jpg\")
Feb 18, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory (2) shoots against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\nThijs De Ridder scored 22 points in 22 minutes on Wednesday, helping No. 14 Virginia pummel Georgia Tech 94-68 in Atlantic Coast Conference play in Atlanta.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Malik Thomas added 17 points and Dallin Hall had 12 points and 10 assists for Virginia (23-3, 11-2 ACC), which extended its winning streak to seven. Johann Grunloh finished with 11 points in the dominant win.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Jaeden Mustaf paced Georgia Tech (11-16, 2-12) with 18 points, followed by Baye Ndongo’s 13 and Kowacie Reeves Jr.’s 12. The Yellow Jackets trailed by as many as 38 points in their eighth straight loss.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Virginia tacked on to its 32-point lead in the opening minute of the second half, as Thomas’ trey and Grunloh’s layup gave the Cavaliers a 64-27 advantage.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Mustaf’s 3-pointer and Ndongo’s subsequent free throws marked a rare set of consecutive scoring trips for Georgia Tech, which trimmed Virginia’s lead to 31 with 12:59 left.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n De Ridder answered with back-to-back fastbreak dunks and a layup to extend the lead to 80-43.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Georgia Tech pieced together a 16-5 spurt to pull within 26 with five minutes remaining. The Yellow Jackets outscored the Cavaliers 41-35 in the second half.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Virginia opened the game on a 14-3 run, holding Georgia Tech without a made field goal until Mustaf’s floater at the 14:39 mark.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The visitors answered the rare Yellow Jackets basket with a 13-0 spurt, taking a commanding 27-5 lead on Hall’s layup and De Ridder’s three-point play. Georgia Tech reserve Cole Kirouac’s hook shot temporarily stopped the bleeding, before another run — this time a 12-0 stretch — extended Virginia’s overwhelming advantage to 39-7 with 7:47 left in the first half.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Virginia’s eighth 3-pointer of the first half, drilled by Chance Mallory, was followed with Ugonna Onyenso’s jumper, pushing the margin to 35 with 4:18 remaining.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Hall buried Virginia’s 10th triple of the first half in the closing minutes, sending the Cavaliers into halftime with a 59-27 lead. De Ridder led all scorers with 13 first-half points, while Reeves and Mustaf scored eight points apiece for the Yellow Jackets.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n