“[The players] are doing everything we’re asking them to do right now”, said Coach Ryan Odom after the victory against Hampton and that’s evident from their performance. The Hoos were back in John Paul Jones Arena Tuesday night and put up some great numbers. In an almost 40-point victory, the Cavaliers took the lead immediately and never let up. With great teamwork on offense and shutdown defense, the Cavaliers were able to claim another home victory and improved to 3-0.
The Cavaliers began with a dominant first half performance with a 7-2 run within the first five minutes. Virginia shot 16-for-26 from the field with a staggering 7-of-12 completed from beyond the arch. The Cavaliers were shooting great from the line as well, completing 89% of their free throws in the first — a much improved percentage from the first two games. The Cavaliers showed their usual grit at the rim, picking up 18 rebounds compared to Hampton’s seven, 11 of which were defensive rebounds. This offensive output was complemented by their clamps on defense.
Throughout the first half, Hampton struggled to find clean shots. The Eagles faced difficulties to get within the paint and completed only seven of their 23 attempts from the field, one for six from three. Virginia was able to pick up five steals and six blocks on defense, with Grunloh and Onyenso showing phenomenal defensive prowess. Hampton was very rarely able to get second-chance opportunities, and with Virginia putting up such a solid performance, they quickly took a 47-19 lead at half.
Virginia stayed in the zone coming out of half, maintaining their phenomenal shooting. The Hoos shot 55.2% from the field in the second off of 29 shots, and 54.5% from three off of 11 attempts. They were showing great teamwork and motion as well on the floor picking up 11 assists in the second-half, doubling their total from the first. Coach Odom commented on this culture of team-ball that Virginia has been presenting, “If you want to just score 25 a game maybe this isn’t the place for you. Doesn’t mean you won’t score 25 in a game but in terms of usage rates… we share the ball”. This mentality was evident as Grunloh, Lewis, Thomas, Onyenso, and Mallory all scored over nine points over the course of the game. The Cavaliers ended up opening the lead even more in the second through this playstyle, finishing the game 91-53, a 38 point victory for the Hoos.
Virginia’s offense continued this great playstyle. The motion and pace they had on the offensive end was clearly showing up in the output, shooting 33-for-60, 46.9%, from the field and 11-for-22, and a staggering 50% from three. Their ability to move the ball around and find open looks allowed them to be extremely efficient on the court, getting a 38 point victory despite Hampton shooting three more shots from the field.
The Cavalier’s relentlessness on defense is making us a formidable team to play against, picking up 49 rebounds compared to Hampton’s 25. We picked up eight steals and nine blocks, with eight coming from Grunloh and Onyenso. Onyenso actually dropped a double-double along with this phenomenal offensive performance with a stat line of 18 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks. When asked about his phenomenal performance, Onyenso said, “I have the confidence of the coaches behind me… I know how to do it… I just had to build that confidence [on defense], I’m the best shot blocker in the country.”
It’s clear that the Cavaliers are dominating right now. On Saturday, they will look to continue with another home game against Marshall to finish off a strong week two. 12 p.m. at John Jones Arena. Be there, be loud, and Go Hoos!
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