Coach Ryan Odom relying on experience as 4 returning players power No. 6 Virginia to 5-0 start
(AP) — When Virginia coach Ryan Odom brought back four of the top six scorers from last season's 30-win squad, he resolved to let them play.Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory and Johann Grunloh are playing heavy minutes so far, and the sixth-ranked Cavaliers relied on their experience to rally from an 11-point halftime deficit and beat Maryland 87-83 on Friday night in their first road…
Virginia coach Ryan Odom decided to rely on experience when bringing back four of the top six scorers from last season's 30-win squad. Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory, and Johann Grunloh have been playing heavy minutes, and the sixth-ranked Cavaliers used their experience to overcome an 11-point halftime deficit and defeated Maryland 87-83 in their first road game of the season.
Odom noted that these players have been in tough battles before and the pressure was on them to play better if they wanted to win and perform like themselves. De Ridther, playing 37 minutes against Maryland, and Mallory, who played 35 minutes, showcased their veteran skills. Lewis, a senior transferring from Toledo, scored a career-high 28 points and dominated the second half, posting 8 of 9 field goal attempts after halftime. The Cavaliers have won four straight games and 10 of their last 11 against their former ACC rivals.
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