PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jacari White hit six 3-pointers and scored 26 points, and third-seeded Virginia avoided yet another early NCAA Tournament exit, beating a resolute Wright State 82-73 in the first round on Friday.
The Cavaliers (30-5) will face sixth-seeded Tennessee or No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio) in the second round in the Midwest Region on Sunday.
Virginia won its first NCAA Tournament game since it won the 2019 national title.
The Cavaliers lost in
the first round or the First Four in 2021, 2023 and 2024, and title-winning coach Tony Bennett abruptly retired before last season. Ryan Odom took over this season and quickly turned the program around.
Odom knows all about Virginia upsets in the tournament. He coached UMBC in 2018 when it was the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1 — yes, Virginia.
Wright State (24-11), a No. 14 seed, was an 18 1/2-point underdog according to BetMGM Sportsbook but never looked out of step as it tried to pull off the shocker.
Michael Imariagbe scored 19 points and kept hope alive for that rare 14 seed win — there have been none in the tournament since 2024 — with a late 3 that pulled the Raiders within 78-73. White responded with a bucket that finally put to rest any thought of an early ride back home for the Cavaliers.
Wright State, the Horizon League champion, made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2022 and fifth overall.
Solomon Callaghan, who scored 18 points, hit three 3s early to get the offense and confidence rolling and buried another late in the half for a 39-36 lead. Wright State hit eight 3s in the half and Virginia made seven in a chuck-it-up game where the teams each finished with 13 overall.
TJ Burch added 15 points for Wright State. Sam Lewis, who suffered a hard fall and briefly left the game in the first half, scored 12 points for Virginia.
Odom grew up rooting for Virginia and noted how those ties meant a little more to him as he tried to put together a team that could go deep in March Madness.
Odom spent a good portion of his childhood in Charlottesville while his father, Dave, worked as an assistant under Terry Holland from 1982-89. Odom’s picture graced the cover of Holland’s camp one summer and Odom even served as a ballboy for the team.
He's now an NCAA Tournament winner at the school.
Virginia is the fourth team Odom has led into he NCAA Tournament, after UMBC, Utah State and VCU.
Those programs should look familiar to anyone who filled out a bracket. All of them made this year's field.
Virginia goes for its first second-round win since 2019. The Cavaliers have won 14 of their last 16 games
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
