We’re nearing the end of the regular season and many eyes remain on the race in the ACC. Some teams in that league have disappointed but Saturday afternoon gives us an important showdown between two of the surprises as Miami and Virginia battle for the first time this season. Which of these upstart units takes control in Charlottesville?
The new era in Miami (21-5) is off to a fantastic start under Jai Lucas, who has these Hurricanes 10-3 in the ACC and competing in great shape. When you dive in closer, the record is a little better than it seems with a weak schedule and some really rough home losses to Cal and Florida State earlier in league play. Regardless, the Hurricanes are now riding a four-game winning streak that includes an upset win over North Carolina and a great showing at NC State.
It’s a similar tale at Virginia (23-3), as Ryan Odom really has this program humming along in his first season. The Cavaliers sit pretty at 11-2 in the league standings and have run off seven wins in a row. While this Virginia team has feasted on a relatively soft part of their schedule, they do have some nice wins this season, knocking off LSU, NC State, and SMU on the road. Besides, when we last saw the Cavaliers on Wednesday they were casually blowing out Georgia Tech, also on the road.
Miami vs. Virginia: When and Where
Date:Â Saturday, February 21, 2026, 2:00 pm ET
Location:Â John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia
Miami vs. Virginia: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch:Â ESPN2
Streaming: FuboTV
Miami vs. Virginia: Betting Odds
Spread: Virginia -8.5, Miami +8.5
Moneyline:Â Virginia -376, Miami +340
Total:Â 146.5
Miami vs. Virginia: Series History
All-time series:Â Virginia leads 17-13
Last meeting:Â Virginia 82, Miami 71 (January 29, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Miami Hurricanes
Malik Reneau (19.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
Tre Donaldson (16.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5.9 apg)
Shelton Henderson (14.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
Ernest Udeh Jr. (6.8 ppg, 9.5 rpg)
Dante Allen (6.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Virginia Cavaliers
Thijs De Ridder (15.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
Malik Thomas (12.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Sam Lewis (10.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Johann Grunloh (7.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
Dallin Hall (6.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.3 apg)
Two teams that really like how they’re playing basketball are meeting up in an important game. Duke remains atop the league standings but these teams technically are close enough to catch them and jockeying for position is vital. The Cavaliers have been riding a fantastic defense and haven’t allowed 70 points in any of their last six wins. On the other side, the Hurricanes need to find a way not just to crack that defense but to find more consistency in their own offense. Miami has been winning games despite poor shooting from beyond the arc, needing Reneau and the rest of these shooters to find their footing if they’re going to pull off a road upset over a ranked team.
Does Miami find that way to solve the Cavaliers defense and get a huge conference win away from home? Will we instead see this Virginia team continue to do just exactly what’s put them in this prime position with elite defense and smart play?