DALLAS — Malik Thomas had a game-high 23 points and a career-best 11 rebounds as the No. 16 Virginia Cavaliers hung on to beat SMU 72-68 in an Atlantic Coast Conference game Saturday.

Thijs De Ridder added 17 points, including seven of UVA’s eight in the final 2½ minutes,

Virginia (16-2, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won five consecutive games. SMU (13-5, 2-3) lost for the first time in 12 games at Moody Coliseum this season.

De Ridder’s two free throws with 1:07 left gave Virginia a 70-68 lead. After the Cavs’ Dallin Hall missed a 3-pointer late in the shot clock with 14 seconds left, De Ridder grabbed the rebound and was fouled. De Ridder hit two more foul shots, putting Virginia ahead 72-68.

SMU’s Boopie Miller missed a right-corner 3-pointer in the closing seconds, and De Ridder grabbed the rebound.

Jarin Pierre Jr. scored 16 points to lead the Mustangs, and B.J. Edwards added 13. Miller, SMU’s leading scorer, averaging 20.8 per game, scored a season-low 12.

Thomas matched a season high by hitting six 3-pointers. Virginia, averaging 28.3 3-point tries per game, hit 12 of 31.

Virginia conversely shot a season-low 12 free throws, sinking 10.

SMU led by as many as seven points during the opening 13 minutes before the Cavaliers went on a 13-2 run over almost four minutes to go ahead 35-28 at the half. SMU shot 1 for 10 with two turnovers during the span.

The Cavaliers won’t play again until 2 p.m. next Saturday, when they face North Carolina on what will that day be honored as Tony Bennett Court in John Paul Jones Arena.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2026/01/17/no-16-uva-deals-smu-first-home-defeat-posts-acc-victory/