Who Should Close Games for Virginia Basketball? The Toughest Decision Facing Ryan Odom
No. 9 Virginia has its work cut out for it in November. In just the third game of the season, the Cavaliers will play No. 12 Arkansas in Washington D.C., then five days later play an always-scrappy Maryland on the road. In other words, Virginia is likely to find itself in some tight contests to start the campaign. Despite the retention of three starters and a sixth man, the Cavaliers do not have the same surefire idea of who is going to be relied on to close games. With early tests around the corner, the question of whose hands the ball will be in at the end of games is due to be answered soon, but a few leading options are already apparent. The ACC Preseason Player of the Year, Thijs De Ridder, is likely to be Virginia's number one option this season. Last year, De Ridder led the team in scoring and field goals, earning an All-ACC First Team nod in the spring. An efficient scorer who…