21–3 and Still Uneasy: Why This Virginia Team Feels Like a Work in Progress

I’ve watched Virginia basketball for about four decades now, through the highs, the heartbreaks, the rebuilds, and the banner-raising moments. I can’t remember many seasons where the Cavaliers sat at 21–3 overall and near the top of the ACC standings, yet the fan base—and frankly, my own gut—felt like there was this much left to clean up. Usually a record like that brings a sense of calm confidence. This one comes with a strange mix of pride, concern, and cautious optimism.

My first example is at the point guard spot. Dallin Hall has been steady in stretches and still helps keep the offense organized, but the jumper has clearly abandoned him for long periods. When defenses don’t have to respect that shot, it shrinks the floor and makes life harder on everyone else. With Chance Mallory playing with confidence, it feels like Hall’s minutes could slide back a bit, letting him focus on facilitating without feeling like he has to force shots he isn’t comfortable taking right now.

In the frontcourt, the conversation starts with Johann Grünloh and Ugonna Onyenso. Grünloh was very productive early and has had some strong stretches, but lately he looks like he may have hit a bit of a wall. Onyenso’s activity, rim protection, and efficiency have stood out, and there’s a growing argument that he deserves the starting nod based purely on current production. A 25-15 minute split between the two might be the right move to keep both players fresh and effective down the stretch.

Then there’s Thijs De Ridder, who has been the team’s most reliable scoring option and the guy opponents circle on the scouting report. He’s a matchup problem around the basket and in the midrange, and that’s where he does his best work. The three-point attempts have started to creep up, though, and some of them feel rushed or unnecessary. If those threes come only when he’s truly wide open, his efficiency—and the offense as a whole—probably stabilizes.

Malik Thomas is another storyline that’s hard to ignore. He’s been one of the primary scorers, but the last couple of weeks, outside of the Boston College game, have been uneven. There have been stretches where the shot just hasn’t been there, and you can feel the offense tighten when he isn’t producing. This is a team built on spacing and shooting, so when one of the main options goes cold, it shows up quickly in the flow of the game.

The Florida State game was the perfect snapshot of the current mood. Virginia escaped with the win, but it took a Jacari White takeover to get it done against an athletic but not elite opponent. Sam Lewis has been steady and efficient, but he’s not built to carry the offense every night. When Hall, De Ridder, Thomas, and Grünloh all have uneven stretches at the same time, the whole thing starts to feel a little shaky, even if the final score says otherwise.

That’s really the heart of it. This is a team full of shooters that has struggled to shoot well too often lately. The ball movement, spacing, and rhythm that defined the early part of the season haven’t been as consistent. The limitations are starting to show, and opponents are clearly starting to zero in on them.

Still, here’s the part that keeps the optimism alive. Virginia is sitting on one of the best records in the country in a new system, with a roster full of new faces, and they’re still figuring out roles, rotations, and late-game identities. That alone says a lot about the ceiling of this group. The early-season offensive flow showed what this team can look like when everything clicks, and that version of the Cavaliers is still in there somewhere.

If the rotations tighten, if Thomas finds his rhythm again, if De Ridder picks his spots from deep, and if the backcourt settles into clearer roles, this team can look very different by March. The wins are already in the bank, and the potential is still obvious. For a 40-year fan, that’s enough to worry a little, believe a lot, and keep watching closely.

Go Hoos!