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Virginia steps into the 2024–25 college basketball season looking to move past the First Four of the NCAA Tournament last season. Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett has been to three NCAA tournaments since winning the national championship in 2019 but has never gone past the first round in each stint.
The ACC-affiliated squad hopes to turn things around, as it formed a 13-man lineup composed of six holdovers, five transfers and two freshmen. Here's a closer look at Virginia's upcoming season and what's in store for the Cavaliers in the 2024–25 men's basketball campaign.
Virginia's biggest games in the 2024–25 season
Virginia will play 11 non-conference and 20 regular-season games this year. Among the notable non-conference games are against Florida, Villanova and Memphis.
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The game against Florida on Dec. 4 is part of the ACC-SEC Challenge between the two conferences, while the showdown against Memphis on Dec. 18 is the second leg of the two teams' home-and-home series.
The Virginia-Villanova encounter on Nov. 15 is part of the Hall of Fame Series that will be held at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore.
The Cavaliers will also travel to the Bahamas on Nov. 21–22 for the Baha Mar Hoops Championship to compete against either Baylor, St. John's or Tennessee. The schedule for this mini-tournament will be announced later.
Meanwhile, Virginia will play regular season home and away games against Louisville, Virginia Tech and SMU, while it will host Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State and Notre Dame.
To complete the 2024–25 slate, the Cavaliers will visit California, Miami (Florida), North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Syracuse and Wake Forest.
Key Virginia players to watch out for in the 2024–25 season
With three of the top four scorers from last season gone, Virginia actively recruited players from the transfer portal and the high school ranks. The coaching staff found seven players who will help the six holdovers bounce back from a First Four exit last season.
Here are three Cavaliers players to keep an eye on in the 2024–25 NCAA basketball season.
#1. Isaac McKneely
Virginia will look to Isaac McKneely, the team's second-leading scorer last season, to be their go-to guy this year. McKneely's stats increased from 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in the 2022–23 season to 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in his sophomore season with the Cavaliers.
Last season, he shot 40.9% from the field and 84.7% from the foul line. He made 44.5% of his three-point attempts, averaging 2.5 per game.
#2. Jalen Warley
Jalen Warley was picked up by Virginia after three seasons in Florida State. The 6-foot-7 incoming senior is coming off a good 2023–24 stint with the Seminoles, averaging 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 33 games (32 starts). Warley shot 42.4% from the field and 72.5% from the free-throw line.
He's expected to help the team's offense and defense with his ability to pressure the ball handler.
#3. Jacob Cofie
Jacob Cofie is a 6-foot-9 power forward out of Eastside Catholic School in Washington. Cofie guided the Crusaders to the Class 3A state championship this past season, averaging 21.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.3 steals.
The McDonald's All-American Game nominee had a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double in the state final 65-57 win against Rainier Beach High. Virginia will rely on Cofie's all-around skills, particularly in the scoring and rebounding departments.
Virginia's predictions for the 2024–25 season
Virginia will be in for a tough battle in the 2024–25 season, especially now that three of their four top scorers are gone from this year's lineup. Expect the Cavaliers' to rely heavily on Isaac McKneely and freshman Jacob Cofie on offense, with Jaylen Warley helping out.
Virginia will be lucky enough to win 20 to 22 games this season and possibly make the NCAA Tournament.
Will Virginia make the NCAA Tournament this coming season? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
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