CHARLOTTESVILLE — Ryan Odom liked what he saw in the first few months his new Virginia basketball team practiced together. He was pleased with the progress the rebuilt roster made as summer gave way to fall.

And with a ton of older, experienced players in the gym, Odom felt like his Cavaliers were, in many areas, ahead of schedule preparing for Monday’s season opener against Rider.

But, through it all, Odom reminded himself and his squad of one inevitable truth about gauging how good the 2025-26 UVA team really is.

“Your opponents eventually tell you,” Odom said.

What will Virginia look like in Year 1 under Odom, a coach who guided his previous three schools — UMBC, Utah State and VCU — to NCAA Tournament appearances? The Cavaliers offered a glimpse of their new style of play when they

See Full Page