Virginia Cruises Past Miami in ACC Tournament

Cavaliers' defense stifles Hurricanes in 84-62 victory

Mar. 14, 2026 at 3:10am

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The Virginia Cavaliers' defense set the tone in an 84-62 victory over the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC Tournament. Virginia's offense struggled early, missing its first 9 three-point attempts, but the team's stifling defense kept Miami in check as well. The Cavaliers eventually found their shooting touch, going on a 23-6 run to blow the game open before cruising to the win.

Why it matters

This win keeps Virginia on track in the ACC Tournament after a recent loss to Duke. The Cavaliers' ability to win with their defense, even when their offense is struggling, shows the team's versatility and depth as they look to make a deep postseason run.

The details

Virginia got off to a sluggish start, taking over 5 minutes to score its first 6 points and committing 6 turnovers in the first 13 minutes. However, Miami was equally cold, going 0-for-6 from three-point range early on. The game was tied at 15-15 before Virginia closed the half on a 23-6 run, sparked by baskets from Ugonna Onyenso, free throws from Chance Mallory, and three-pointers from Thijs De Ridder and Malik Thomas. Virginia's defense held Miami to just 35% shooting for the game.

  • Virginia started the game 0-for-9 from three-point range before Thijs De Ridder hit their first three with 2:47 left in the first half.
  • Through the first 13 minutes, Virginia had almost as many turnovers (6) as made field goals (7).
  • Virginia closed the first half on a 23-6 run to take a 38-21 lead into halftime.
  • Seven minutes into the second half, Miami went on a mini-run to cut Virginia's lead to 53-43, but Malik Thomas scored 9 of Virginia's next 11 points to restore order.

The players

Ugonna Onyenso

A Virginia player who scored a game-high 17 points and was the team's leading scorer after the first few minutes.

Chance Mallory

A Virginia player who had 12 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting from the free throw line, a game-high 6 assists, and 5 rebounds.

Malik Thomas

A Virginia player who scored 15 points, including 9 in a key stretch in the second half to help the Cavaliers pull away.

Thijs De Ridder

A Virginia player who scored 16 points, including the Cavaliers' first three-pointer of the game.

Ryan Odom

The head coach of the Miami Hurricanes.

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What’s next

Virginia will advance to the ACC Tournament championship game on Saturday, March 14th at 8:30pm ET on ESPN.

The takeaway

Virginia's stifling defense and balanced scoring attack proved too much for Miami, as the Cavaliers cruised to an 84-62 victory. This win keeps Virginia on track in the ACC Tournament and demonstrates the team's ability to win in different ways, whether it's through their three-point shooting or their lockdown defense.