Virginia Coach Odom Unfazed by Blowout Loss to Duke

Cavaliers still have high hopes for season despite 26-point defeat

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Virginia Cavaliers head coach Ryan Odom said he is not worried about his team's 77-51 blowout loss to Duke, noting that his squad has bounced back from big defeats before and can still accomplish great things this season. The Cavaliers dropped to 13-3 in ACC play with the loss, while Duke improved to 15-1 and strengthened its position for the top seed.

Why it matters

The loss was a significant setback in Virginia's hopes of overtaking Duke for the top spot in the ACC standings. However, Odom expressed confidence that his team can regain its footing and make a deep postseason run, just as the Cavaliers did in 2019 when they won the national championship.

The details

Odom pointed to a previous 40-point loss to Albany as an example of his team responding well to a big defeat. He emphasized that he is more concerned with his players' mindset and confidence than the outcome of one game, even against a powerhouse like Duke.

  • The Cavaliers lost to Duke on Saturday, March 1, 2026.
  • Virginia and Duke each have two regular season games remaining.

The players

Ryan Odom

The head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team.

Tony Bennett

The former head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, who led the team to the national championship in 2019.

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What they’re saying

“It's not the first time I ever lost a game by a significant margin. We lost to Albany one time. I was telling the team after the game, it was like 80-some to 40-something. And that team went on to do something pretty special.”

— Ryan Odom, Head Coach, Virginia Cavaliers (Duke Wire)

“I'm not worried about one game. I'm worried about the mindset of our team, and we can't lose our confidence because we just lost to a really good basketball team.”

— Ryan Odom, Head Coach, Virginia Cavaliers (Duke Wire)

What’s next

Both Virginia and Duke have two games remaining in the regular season. The best the Cavaliers could hope for is to end up tied with the Blue Devils in the ACC standings, which would give Duke the top overall seed.

The takeaway

Despite the lopsided defeat, Coach Odom expressed confidence that his Virginia team can bounce back and make a deep postseason run, just as they did in 2019 when they won the national championship. Odom's calm reaction suggests the Cavaliers remain focused on their long-term goals and are not overly concerned about one regular season loss, even to a powerhouse like Duke.