With the season starting on Monday, Nov. 7, the wait for Virginia basketball to return is almost over. The Hoos open the season ranked No. 18. The Cavaliers will have plenty of opportunities to rise in the rankings not only against ACC competition, but also some noteworthy games in their non-conference slate.

That’s a big difference from the previous campaign. A season ago, UVA only had three games against a ranked opponent in the regular season, and two of those came against Duke. Based on the initial rankings, the Cavaliers will reach that mark in their first seven games, all being in the first month of the season.

Virginia ranked No. 51 in strength of schedule in 2021-22 in ESPN’s Power Index. As of right now, it appears it will exceed that spot for the upcoming season. There will be multiple stretches during the season where the Hoos will be tested. Let’s take a closer look with a little schedule analysis.

First Month Tests For Virginia

Virginia opens its season with three opponents at home that it will be favored against in NC Central, Monmouth, and Northern Iowa. Although Northern Iowa was 20-12 last season and has been successful in past years, the Panthers lost their top two scorers and may take a step back. For UVA, three of its next four is where it will get tough.

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