Virginia Basketball Holds Pitt to 47 Points in 67 47 ACC Win at Home

CHARLOTTESVILLE Va -- Virginia delivered another statement defensive performance Tuesday night, holding Pittsburgh to 47 points in a 67 47 victory that extended the Cavaliers recent surge and strengthened their position in the Atlantic Coast Conference race.

No. 18 Virginia improved to 19 3 overall and 8 2 in ACC play, winning its third straight game and eighth in its last 9. The result marked a notable timeline moment for a program adjusting to life under new leadership, as the Cavaliers scored a season low 67 points but controlled the game throughout behind efficiency, rebounding and defense.

Sam Lewis led Virginia with 15 points, while Thijs De Ridder added 10 points and 12 rebounds for his third double double of the season. De Ridder, who entered the week as the ACC Player of the Week, anchored the interior on both ends. Chance Mallory contributed 11 points on 5 of 8 shooting, and Malik Thomas finished with 10 points to give Virginia balanced scoring from its primary rotation.

Pittsburgh briefly took a 7 3 lead in the opening minutes before Virginia responded with a 12 0 run that flipped the game and set the tone for the rest of the night. From there, the Cavaliers dictated pace and spacing, forcing the Panthers into rushed possessions and costly mistakes. Pitt committed 17 turnovers, and Virginia converted those into 23 points, a decisive margin in a low scoring contest. The Cavaliers turned the ball over 10 times and limited the Panthers to just 9 points off those miscues.

The 67 points represented Virginia’s lowest scoring output this season, yet the win underscored what this means for a team that entered the night averaging 84 points per game under first year coach Ryan Odom. The Cavaliers remain defense first, a familiar identity in Charlottesville, but have paired it with improved offensive efficiency and depth compared to recent seasons.

For Pittsburgh, Cameron Corhen and Nojus Indrusaitis scored 11 points apiece, but the Panthers fell to 9 14 overall and 2 8 in conference play. Pitt has now lost 8 of its last 10 games, with its most recent win over a ranked opponent still coming at Virginia on Feb. 13 2024. The latest loss continues a difficult outlook as the Panthers search for consistency and offensive rhythm in ACC competition.

From a broader impact analysis, Virginia’s win keeps it firmly in the upper tier of the ACC standings and strengthens its NCAA Tournament profile, particularly with continued success against conference opponents. The Cavaliers only loss in their last 9 games came against now No. 14 North Carolina, highlighting the quality of competition during this stretch.

Next steps are clear as the season progresses. Pittsburgh returns home to host SMU on Saturday, looking to reset its timeline and limit turnovers.

Virginia remains at home as well, welcoming Syracuse on Saturday with momentum and a growing conference resume as the outlook for March continues to take shape.