Virginia HC Ryan Odom Previews NCAA Tournament Matchup Against Tennessee

Odom discusses his relationship with Rick Barnes, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, and more ahead of the Round of 32 game.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 6:58pm

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Virginia head coach Ryan Odom met with the media on Saturday to preview the Cavaliers' NCAA Tournament matchup against Tennessee. Odom discussed his long-standing relationship with Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes, the challenges of facing Tennessee's defense, and the talented players on the Vols' roster, including Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament.

Why it matters

This NCAA Tournament game features two respected coaches in Odom and Barnes, who have a close relationship dating back to Odom's early coaching days. The matchup also pits Virginia's balanced, disciplined approach against Tennessee's physical, defensive-minded style, making for an intriguing strategic battle.

The details

Odom praised Barnes' sustained success as a head coach, noting their families are close and Barnes has always been helpful to Odom throughout his career. On the court, Odom highlighted the challenges of facing Tennessee's defense, which features size and athleticism to protect the paint and contest perimeter shots. He emphasized the need for Virginia to find good, open looks and not settle for contested shots.

  • The NCAA Tournament Round of 32 game between Virginia and Tennessee will take place on Sunday.

The players

Ryan Odom

The first-year head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, who previously coached at UMBC and Utah State.

Rick Barnes

The veteran head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, known for his success at multiple stops throughout his career.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie

The talented point guard for Tennessee, who Odom praised for his ability to make plays and lead the Volunteers' offense.

Nate Ament

The 6'10" forward for Tennessee, who Odom described as a "generational talent" with the ability to score, pass, and rebound at a high level.

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What they’re saying

“Coach Barnes has meant so much to the game of basketball, and he and my father are close and good friends. Our families are close, and it's just really neat to see the sustained success that he's had and, he's done it the right way at every spot. He's won at every spot.”

— Ryan Odom, Head Coach, Virginia Cavaliers

“He's just a generational talent. He's 6'10'. He can dribble. He can pass. He can shoot. He can make hard twos. He rebounds. He plays hard. He's just really good.”

— Ryan Odom, Head Coach, Virginia Cavaliers

What’s next

The winner of the Virginia-Tennessee matchup will advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This NCAA Tournament game features two well-respected coaches in Ryan Odom and Rick Barnes, who have a long-standing relationship and will lead their teams in a strategic battle between Virginia's disciplined approach and Tennessee's physical, defensive-minded style of play.