The Cavaliers made a quick leap in Ryan Odom’s first season, posting the program’s first 30-win season and its first March Madness wins since the 2018-19 season that ended with Tony Bennett’s club cutting down the nets. They return three starters this year, led by the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year in Belgian forward Thijs De Ridder and German big man Johann Grünloh. The Cavaliers, who played for last year’s ACC Tournament title, are projected to finish second in the league behind No. 2 Duke.

Players to watch

De Ridder (sophomore, F, 6-9, 246). The multiyear European professional player transitioned well to American college basketball, averaging team highs of 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 50.8%.

Sam Lewis (senior, G, 6-7, 216). Lewis was the team’s No. 3 scorer last year (10.6) while shooting 40.3% from 3-point range.

Chance Mallory (sophomore, G, 5-10, 170). Mallory is set for a leading role at the point after averaging 9.3 points as the team’s top scorer off the bench last year. He averaged a nearly 3:1 assist-to-turnover margin.

Departures and arrivals

The Cavaliers lost No. 2 scorer Malik Thomas (12.4), reserve guard Jacari White (9.4) and elite rim protector Ugonna Onyenso, who was second nationally by averaging 2.9 blocks.

The Cavaliers went back to the international pro ranks to add German wing Nolan Adekunle, as well as hitting the transfer portal to bring in UC Irvine guard Jurian Dixon (15.9 points), Arkansas State guard Christian Harmon (12.8), Loyola Marymount guard Jan Vide (12.1) and St. Louis forward Kalu Anya (redshirted last year).

Top games

Virginia opens the season Nov. 3 at home against Drexel, then has an opening-week test against No. 12 Arkansas in Washington (Nov. 8). There’s also a visit from No. 23 Kentucky in the ACC/SEC Challenge (Dec. 2) and a game against No. 4 UConn in New York’s Madison Square Garden (Dec. 20).

Virginia opens ACC play Dec. 29 at Clemson, while the league slate includes two games against second-ranked Duke (Feb. 6 and March 1) as well as a trip to No. 14 Miami (Jan. 16) and a home game against No. 11 Louisville (Feb. 15).

Facts and figures

The Cavaliers have made it past the NCAA Tournament’s opening weekend just once since 2016, that being the 2019 title run. ... Odom is at his fifth school as a head coach. His only tenure with more than two seasons so far came at UMBC, which beat Virginia in 2018 in the first-ever 16-versus-1 upset of March Madness. ... De Ridder is can finish as the program’s first ACC player of the year since Malcolm Brogdon won it in 2015-16.