In a thrilling opening round of the NCAA Tournament, the No. 3 seed Virginia Cavaliers overcame a significant challenge from the No. 14 seed Wright State Raiders, securing an 82-73 victory. This triumph marks Virginia's first tournament win since their national championship season in 2019, largely fueled by a standout performance from Jacari White, who notched a season-best 26 points, including a crucial floater that put his team ahead for good.
The Midwest Region contest, held in Philadelphia, saw the Cavaliers demonstrate resilience after falling behind by five points at halftime. Their comeback was powered by an impressive second-half shooting display, converting 56.5% of their attempts from the field. A decisive 11-0 scoring run late in the game proved to be the turning point, with White's timely layup establishing a 71-70 lead that Virginia would not relinquish.
White's scoring prowess was particularly evident from beyond the arc, where he sank six of eight three-point attempts. Supporting his effort were Sam Lewis with 12 points, Malik Thomas contributing 11, and Thijs De Ridder adding 10 points to Virginia's tally. The team now boasts a 30-5 record as they advance to face the winner of the game between No. 6 Tennessee and No. 11 Miami (Ohio) in the second round on Sunday.
Wright State, the Horizon League champions, concluded their season with a 23-12 record, putting up a formidable fight. Michael Imariagbe led the Raiders with an outstanding 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Solomon Callaghan added 18 points. The duo combined for nine three-pointers out of Wright State's 13, which was the highest number of threes Virginia had conceded all season. Notably, Imariagbe hit five three-pointers in this game alone, an remarkable achievement considering he had only four in his previous 94 career games.
The first half was a seesaw battle, featuring 11 lead changes and six ties. Wright State initially gained a 16-13 advantage through a series of five consecutive made shots, including Callaghan's first three treys. White consistently responded with his own three-pointers to either tie the score or seize the lead for Virginia, but the Raiders managed to counter each time. A tie-breaking three-pointer from Callaghan with 1:32 remaining in the half culminated in a 7-2 run for Wright State, giving them a 43-38 lead at the break.
Following White's pivotal go-ahead basket in the second half, Dallin Hall secured a vital offensive rebound, setting up Johann Grunloh for an easy two points under the basket. Grunloh's contribution helped extend Virginia's lead to 75-70 and he finished the game with eight points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, solidifying the Cavaliers' hard-earned win.