Virginia Mens Basketball Kicks Off New Year with Renewed Focus in ACC PlayThe Virginia Cavaliers, currently at 12-2 overall, are charging into the new year with fresh priorities in ACC play. After an impressive 11-1 non-conference finish, they suffered a heartbreaking triple overtime loss to Virginia Tech but bounced back with a solid road win at North Carolina State.Freshman guard Chance Mallory has emerged as a hometown spark plug, averaging double-digit scoring with steals and rebounds while pushing the pace. Graduate forward Devin Tillis has shaken off a knee injury to hit 57% on two-pointers and 45% from three. Sophomore Elijah Gertrude has flashed his old explosiveness in limited minutes.The teams preseason worry about sharing the ball among scorers has eased, as they averaged 87 points per game by riding hot hands like Jacari Whites seven-for-seven against Dayton. However, lingering questions remain as ACC physicality ramps up. Can they handle bruisers like Duke and North Carolina after rebounding woes against Maryland? Will aggressive defense avoid foul trouble, as seen in high-whistle games? Free-throw shooting at 68% needs work too, especially with low attempts.Despite these concerns, the Cavaliers have built real March momentum under Coach Ryan Odom, with four wins and zero losses in conference play, including a double overtime survival at Florida State.

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