Thijs De Ridder’s Surprising Heroics Propel No. 17 Virginia to a Thrilling Victory Over Boston College

Saturday’s showdown in Boston saw No. 17 Virginia scrape past Boston College with a gritty 73-66 victory — a game that wasn’t just a win on the scoreboard, but a testament to the Cavaliers’ relentless spirit. Thijs De Ridder led the charge with 17 points, while Malik Thomas added a crucial 14, pushing Virginia to an 18-3 season mark and a solid 7-2 in the ACC. Meanwhile, Boston College’s Donald Hand Jr., carrying the legacy of his father, made waves with a 20-point effort, keeping the Eagles within striking distance until the final minutes. Virginia only took their first lead well into the second half, but once they did, they kept it — showcasing their dominance on the boards and clutch shooting under pressure. It’s these hard-fought moments that define a team’s character… and Virginia showed plenty of it Saturday night. LEARN MORE

BOSTON (AP) — Thijs De Ridder scored 17 points, Malik Thomas had 14 and No. 17 Virginia held off Boston College 73-66 on Saturday.

Chance Mallory added 11 points for the Cavaliers (18-3, 7-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Donald Hand Jr., son of former Cavaliers’ star Donald Hand (1998-01), led the Eagles (9-12, 2-6) with 20 points. Fred Payne added 17 points for the Eagles.

Getting to the basket relatively easily most of the game, Virginia took its first lead of the game, 41-38, on Sam Lewis’ three-point play 4½ minutes into the second half.

The Cavaliers pushed their advantage to seven a few minutes later on Thomas’ twisting layup when he was in a stretch of scoring eight of their 11 points.

BC rallied but the Cavaliers took the lead for good on White’s 3-pointer from the top of the key with just under 10 minutes to play that made it 55-52.

The Eagles kept it within a two-possession game until Ugonna Onyenson’s dunk made it 72-64 with a little under a minute left in the game.

Overcoming their biggest deficit en route to a victory in 20 years during a double-overtime thriller at Notre Dame on Tuesday, the Cavaliers found themselves behind for the final 18 minutes of the first half.

The Eagles, who shot 50% (14 of 28), led by five after 20 minutes.

Virginia, which came into the day leading the ACC in both rebounds and offensive boards per game, used that advantage to keep it close.

The Cavaliers outrebounded BC 39-33, but got 14 on the offensive end to the Eagles’ eight.

UP NEXT

Virginia: Host Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Boston College: At No. 4 Duke on Tuesday.

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