No. 15 Virginia back on track, faces surging Florida State

Cavaliers look to continue winning ways against hot Seminoles squad

Feb. 9, 2026 at 7:47pm

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No. 15 Virginia has bounced back from a down season, improving to 20-3 (8-2 ACC) with four straight wins, including a 72-59 victory over Syracuse. The Cavaliers will now face a suddenly hot Florida State team that has won four of its last five games against major-conference opponents after a slow start to the season.

Why it matters

Virginia's turnaround this season has been one of the biggest stories in the ACC, as the Cavaliers look to return to their usual winning ways under new coach Ryan Odom. Meanwhile, Florida State has shown signs of life after a rough start, making this an important matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions.

The details

Virginia's win over Syracuse was never really in doubt, though the Cavaliers led by just four points with five minutes left before pulling away. Defense remains a strength, but Virginia has also improved its scoring offense this season. Belgian freshman Thijs De Ridder leads the team in scoring and rebounding. Florida State, led by first-year coach Luke Loucks, has won four of its last five games against major-conference opponents after starting the season 0-9 in those matchups. Chauncey Wiggins has been a key part of the Seminoles' recent surge, scoring 18-plus points in the last three games.

  • Virginia improved to 20-3 (8-2 ACC) with Saturday's 72-59 home win over Syracuse.
  • Florida State enters the game on a three-game winning streak after an 82-79 win at Notre Dame on Saturday.

The players

Ryan Odom

The new head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, who has helped the team bounce back from a down season.

Thijs De Ridder

A Belgian freshman forward who leads Virginia in scoring and rebounding.

Luke Loucks

The first-year head coach of the Florida State Seminoles, who has guided the team to a recent surge after a slow start.

Chauncey Wiggins

A Florida State player who has been a key part of the Seminoles' recent winning streak, scoring 18-plus points in the last three games.

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What they’re saying

“Proud of the way our guys finished it down the stretch there. They executed well, we defended well enough and came up with key rebounds in order to finish the game off. The key to the game for us was just the hustle plays.”

— Ryan Odom, Head Coach, Virginia Cavaliers

“Our message to our guys has not been great job for this winning streak. It's great job for doing a great job and doing your job. If you start drinking the poison of, 'Hey, look how many games we've won and look how good we're doing,' that's when you start dropping games.”

— Luke Loucks, Head Coach, Florida State Seminoles

What’s next

The winner of Tuesday's game between No. 15 Virginia and Florida State will take a step closer to securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions - Virginia's turnaround and Florida State's recent surge - will be an important test for both squads as they look to solidify their postseason positioning in the competitive ACC.