One of Saturday’s early battles sees Virginia heading to SMU in a matchup that’s far more consequential than some may have thought before the season. Neither was seen as a major player in the ACC, but these teams both have a shot at playing consequential basketball in March and have both been ranked here in recent weeks.
Through more than two months of play, Virginia (15-2) has largely taken care of their own business. They started ACC play with a tough triple overtime loss to rival Virginia Tech but have since scored impressive road wins at NC State and Louisville and are back near the top of the league standings. Ryan Odom’s first year in Charlottesville has gone about as well as possible but he’s not satisfied with just a hot start to the season.
After their own great start, SMU (13-4) isn’t trending in the best direction right now. Their ACC debut was a successful win over North Carolina, but the Mustangs then lost tough contests at Clemson and Duke. Fortunately, a heroic half court heave from Boopie Miller got them the win over Virginia Tech on Wednesday night and avoided that third straight loss, though now the Mustangs have to make that mean something.
Virginia vs. SMU: When and Where
Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026, 12:00 pm ET
Location: Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas
Virginia vs. SMU: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: ESPN2
Streaming: FuboTV
Virginia vs. SMU: Betting Odds
Spread: Virginia Cavaliers -1.5, SMU Mustangs +1.5
Moneyline: Virginia Cavaliers -148, SMU Mustangs +124
Total: 153.5
Virginia vs. SMU: Series History
All-time series: SMU leads 2-1
Last meeting: SMU 54, Virginia 52 (January 15, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Virginia Cavaliers
Thijs De Ridder (16.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
Malik Thomas (13.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Sam Lewis (10.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Johann Grunloh (8.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
Dallin Hall (6.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
SMU Mustangs
Boopie Miller (20.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 7.1 apg)
Jaron Pierre Jr. (17.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg)
B. J. Edwards (13.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.4 apg)
Corey Washington (11.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Samet Yigitoglu (11.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg)
With the direction these two teams are trending, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Virginia as a slight favorite to some. The Cavaliers have been playing impressive team basketball during league play while the Mustangs have just been overmatched and underachieving in the last two weeks. We’re not saying it’ll take another buzzer beater, but SMU is going to need great work from Miller, Pierre, and the rest of an offense that has come up just short a few times already. The Cavaliers are no joke as a team and this should be a fierce battle from beginning to end.
Does Virginia continue that recent trend by grabbing another impressive win away from home? Can the Mustangs bounce back and show that they can be a top team in this talented ACC?