CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – As the only Virginia scholarship player who has logged minutes in an ACC basketball game, Elijah Gertrude has made sure to let his teammates know what that experience is like.

“It’s special,” Gertrude said.

No. 21 UVA (11-1) opens conference play Wednesday at rival Virginia Tech (11-2). The two teams have split their regular-season meetings each of the last four seasons, including last year, when the Cavaliers won at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg two weeks after the Hokies were victorious at John Paul Jones Arena.

“We realize that the crowds are going to get bigger, whether it’s on the road or at home,” first-year coach Ryan Odom said. “The stakes are going to get higher. The pressure is going to elevate. And we have to handle it really, really well.”

Of Virginia’s 11 scholarship newcomers, eight have never faced an ACC opponent before.

Malik Thomas scored 14 points in a loss to Clemson last season with San Francisco.

Dallin Hall helped BYU to victories over North Carolina State each of the past two years, scoring 13 and nine points in the contests.

Ugo Onyenso saw time against North Carolina and Louisville, twice, during his two seasons with Kentucky.

But four other transfers – Sam Lewis, Devin Tillis, Martin Carrere and the injured Jacari White – will be facing an ACC foe for the first time.

The same is true of freshman point guard Chance Mallory and European imports Thijs DeRidder and Johann Grunloh.

“I think everybody has been waiting for these conference games,” said DeRidder, the Belgian power forward who is averaging a team-high 16.1 points per game. “I think those are the big games. Like the first game is Virginia Tech, big rivalry already. So, we have to come back from the break super ready.”

While DeRidder and Grunloh, who averages a team-high 7.2 rebounds per game and leads UVA with 31 blocked shots, have transformed the Cavaliers’ frontcourt, the Hokies are made go by another international recruit – Neoklis Avdalas.

The 6-foot-9 Greek NBA prospect is second on the team in scoring and leads the Hokies with 60 assists.

“He’s got tremendous size,” Odom said. “He can really pass the ball. He kind of reminds you of Luka (Doncic) in some ways, with his ability to see the floor, shoot the basketball and get assists. Provides a big matchup problem. He’s an excellent, excellent player. One of the better players in our league.”

The league, Odom said, has already proved itself to be stronger than in recent years.

Virginia is one of four ACC teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, with No. 6 Duke, No. 12 North Carolina and No. 16 Louisville leading the way.

Three more teams – Clemson, Miami and North Carolina State – received votes in the most recent poll.

“We know it’s going to be really challenging,” Odom said. “You can look at all the records and go up and down every conference member, you take notice of there’s a lot of good records out there right now. We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us and the first ones at Virginia Tech.”

Adding to the challenge facing Virginia is the fact that six of its first eight ACC games will be on the road, starting with Wednesday’s tussle at Cassell, where the Hokies are 8-0 so far this season.