The Virginia Cavaliers and Virginia Tech Hokies are set to face off in the second round of their long-standing rivalry, with the Hoos looking to avenge their first home loss to the Hokies since 2018.
Virginia (12-12, 5-8 ACC) is seeking its first win at Cassell Coliseum since February 2020, when Kihei Clark hit a buzzer-beater to give UVA a 56-53 victory over Virginia Tech.
The Hokies have won four of the last five matchups in the Commonwealth Clash and lead the all-sports competition with a score of 5.5-3.0 in favor of UVA.
Virginia will need to improve its three-point shooting, having shot just 25% from beyond the arc in their last four games at Cassell Coliseum. Execution on defense is key to minimizing open threes and mismatches with screens.
Elijah Saunders’ return to form could play a crucial role in this matchup, as he will be playing power forward and should help match up against Virginia Tech’s versatile forwards.
The question remains: did the Cavaliers catch lightning in a bottle during their recent winning streak or is this a sign of something more? The team will look to sustain its momentum and break the “Cassell Curse,” which has haunted them since Clark’s historic shot.
Score prediction: Virginia 64, Virginia Tech 67.
Source: https://www.si.com/college/virginia/virginia-basketball-at-virginia-tech-game-preview-score-prediction