KEY POINTS
- The tenth-ranked Virginia Cavaliers aim for a three-game season sweep against NC State on Thursday.
- Virginia secured the second seed in the ACC tournament after winning five of their final six games.
- NC State advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Louisville 94-85 in the opening round.
The No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers enter the ACC tournament quarterfinals on Thursday night with significant momentum. They are scheduled to face the NC State Wolfpack at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. This matchup marks the third meeting between the two programs during the current 2025-2026 campaign.
Virginia earned the second seed in the conference tournament following a strong finish to the regular season. They secured victories in five of their final six contests to solidify their national ranking. The Cavaliers are known for their disciplined defensive system and methodical pace of play. Head coach Tony Bennett has focused his team on maintaining their defensive intensity throughout the postseason.
The Cavaliers successfully defeated NC State in both regular-season encounters this year. They won the first matchup in Raleigh by a narrow five-point margin in early January. Virginia followed that performance with a more comfortable double-digit victory in Charlottesville last month. They limited the Wolfpack to under 40 percent shooting in both of those contests.
NC State earned its spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Louisville 94-85 on Wednesday. The Wolfpack showcased an explosive offensive performance by scoring over 50 points in the second half. Jayden Taylor led the scoring effort with 28 points while connecting on six three-pointers. Teammates DJ Horne and Mohamed Diarra also contributed double-digit scoring figures in the win.
The primary challenge for NC State remains breaking down the Virginia “Pack-Line” defense. Virginia currently ranks among the national leaders in points allowed per game. Guard Reece Beekman serves as the defensive anchor for the Cavaliers’ backcourt. Beekman was recently named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year for his elite on-ball pressure.
Offensively, Virginia relies on the balanced scoring of Beekman and Isaac McKneely. McKneely leads the team in three-point shooting percentage and provides spacing for the interior attackers. Ryan Dunn also plays a vital role by providing athletic finishes near the rim and elite rebounding. The Cavaliers show great patience in finding high-quality shots during the final seconds of the shot clock.
NC State must find a way to speed up the tempo of the game to be successful. The Wolfpack prefer a high-scoring transition game led by their dynamic guards. They currently rank second in the ACC in steals and forced turnovers per game. Forcing Virginia into uncharacteristic mistakes will be key to pulling off the upset.
The winner of this quarterfinal contest moves into the ACC semifinals on Friday evening. Virginia is looking to secure its first conference tournament title since 2018. NC State hopes to return to the championship game for the second time in three seasons. Both teams are currently projected to receive favorable seeds in the upcoming NCAA tournament.
