10. Virginia (27-4)
Time sure flies in this sport and it’s already been seven years since Virginia won that national title, but a lot can happen in a seemingly short time. This program is now in the hands of Ryan Odom and his first season is a clear indication that he’ll have the Cavaliers trending in the right direction. This team had been on quite a run before running into Duke last weekend, but they righted the ship in their final regular season opportunities.
The Cavaliers did what was needed on Tuesday for a 75-70 win over Wake Forest. Thijs De Ridder was effective as usual in a 16-point, 7-rebound affair while Jacari White put up 14 points off the bench. The weekend saw Virginia avenge an earlier loss, staving off a fierce comeback from rival Virginia Tech for a 76-72 victory. Malik Thomas and Ugonna Onyenso had 16 points apiece as this team did just enough to outwork the Hokies.
When Odom was brought to Charlottesville this past offseason, the program was fresh off a rough season and you could’ve easily sold these results to those fans. Finishing 15-3 in the ACC is a fantastic accomplishment and Virginia is far from finished. They’ll be looking to make a statement at the ACC Tournament next week, albeit wary of a potential rematch against Duke after last weekend’s 26-point drubbing.