No. 18 Virginia Defeats Syracuse 72-59

Cavaliers' bench outscores Orange 29-7 in fourth straight win

Feb. 7, 2026 at 2:15pm

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The No. 18 Virginia Cavaliers defeated the Syracuse Orange 72-59 on Saturday, holding Syracuse to its lowest point total of the season. Sam Lewis led Virginia with 16 points, including 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. Virginia's bench outscored Syracuse's 29-7 as the Cavaliers won their fourth straight game since a loss to North Carolina.

Why it matters

The win keeps Virginia in the hunt for a high seed in the upcoming ACC tournament, while Syracuse continues to struggle in conference play this season.

The details

Virginia's Sam Lewis had a strong shooting performance, making his first four 3-point attempts and finishing with 16 points overall. Ugonna Onyenso added 10 points and 8 rebounds off the bench for the Cavaliers. Syracuse was led by Naithan George's 19 points, but the Orange's bench only managed 7 points compared to Virginia's 29.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

The players

Sam Lewis

A Virginia player who scored 16 points, including 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.

Ugonna Onyenso

A Virginia player who scored 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds off the bench.

Naithan George

A Syracuse player who led the Orange with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting.

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What’s next

Virginia will visit Florida State on Tuesday, while Syracuse will host California on Wednesday.

The takeaway

Virginia's depth and balanced scoring proved too much for Syracuse, as the Cavaliers' bench play was a key factor in the win. The loss continues a difficult conference season for the Orange, who will look to rebound against California.