Virginia Basketball: New ESPN Bracketology Update Has UVA Among Next Four Teams Out

Bracketology for the upcoming 2025-2026 college basketball season is probably the last thing on anyone's mind right now, but ESPN's Joe Lunardi gave a new updated bracket yesterday. Lunardi has not had Virginia in his previous versions of Bracketology, but the Cavaliers got a mention on this one, although they were not in the projected field. Lunardi had UVA among the next four teams out with Clemson, Kansas State, and Georgetown. The first four projected teams out were Washington, Indiana, Marquette, and Nebraska, while the last four in were SMU, Miami, Iowa, and Texas A&M.

I think there is a good chance that Virginia is a tournament team and outplays their expectations in this new bracket.

Virginia has crafted an identity around high-level three point shooters and playing at a quick pace and that should have them near the top of the ACC. In a recent article, CBS Sports analyst Matt Norlander named Virginia as one of the most improved teams in the country next season:

"After spending last week on the recruiting trail and checking in with a medley of coaches, I can report that many a coach in college hoops believes Ryan Odom's Virginia Cavaliers will take a big jump in his first season. The Wahoos went 15-17 last season, fated to toil under Ron Sanchez in the wake of Tony Bennett's head-turning retirement in mid-October. Odom was plucked from nearby VCU, given a $10 million-plus roster budget for the upcoming season and has been able to load up on a team that figures to be top-five in the ACC.

BYU transfer Dallin Hall and former Kansas State forward Ugonna Onyenso have to vastly improve their production from last season, and the additions of three high-level mid-major scorers will give Virginia plenty to work with on offense. Malik Thomas (19.9 ppg at San Francisco), Jacari White (17.1 ppg at North Dakota State) and Sam Lewis (16.2 ppg at Toledo) will likely combine to put up more than 30 points per night. Then there's one of the best gets of the offseason, Belgium forward Thijs De Ridder, who has two years of professional experience in Spain underneath his belt. The 6-foot-8 combo forward put up 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 39.1% from 3 in one of the best Euro leagues.

Odom -- who has a career .636 winning percentage over more than a decade of coaching mid-major programs -- is ready for this. Virginia has the pieces. I'll be surprised if the Cavs aren't a single-digit seed in the NCAA Tournament next season."