CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – During the week, North Carolina State coach Will Wade said he was “worried” about matching up with Virginia’s physicality. After falling 90-61 to the No. 11 Cavaliers on Tuesday night, Wade offered a blunt assessment of how his players handled that aspect of the game.

“Not very well,” Wade said. “Not very well.”

Five Virginia players scored in double figures and the Cavaliers never trailed, ripping the visiting Wolfpack in UVA’s final tuneup before Saturday’s showdown at No. 1 Duke. 

“Virginia’s a great team. Virginia can go to the Final Four,” Wade said. “This is a really, really good team. And they steamrolled us. They’re better than we are. If we played them 10 times, I’m not sure we could beat them. Maybe once.”

Thijs DeRidder led the way with 19 points, Sam Lewis scored 16 and Jacari White came off the bench to add 15. Malik Thomas finished with 12 points and Chase Mallory scored 11 for UVA, which has won nine in a row. The Cavaliers tallied 17 assists.

“That’s what this team does better than most teams,” Virginia coach Ryan Odom said. “They play the game together in a really good way. They’re not selfish. They pass to one another. In no way are we perfect, but I think they’ve bought into team.”

Virginia blocked 12 shots, eight by Johann Grunloh and four by Ugo Onyenso, prompting Wade to quip, “They were playing volleyball at the basket.”

Paul McNeil Jr. led State with 22 points. Darrion Williams had 14.

The Cavaliers led by 30 with 1:42 to play, allowing Ryan Odom to empty his bench as his team won its ninth straight.

Lewis, who hit five of UVA’s 13 3-pointers in the first meeting between these teams, a 76-61 UVA win, opened the scoring Tuesday, knocking down a pair of triples for the Cavaliers’ first points. Virginia finished 12 for 26 from 3-point range. Its bench outscored State 32-5.

The Cavaliers led that game by 20 at the half. On Tuesday, they took a 32-19 lead to the locker room thanks in large part to a woeful shooting performance by the Wolfpack over the first 20 minutes.

N.C. State shot 18.2% from the floor and went 2 for 13 from 3-point range before the break.

State missed its first five shots before a Tre Holloman 3-pointer, opening 2 for 19 from the floor.