De Ridder scores career-high 26, Virginia hits 30 FTs in 83-79 win over Northwestern

By Canadian Press on November 21, 2025.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) — Thijs De Ridder, a 6-foot-9 freshman, scored a season-high 26 points and Chance Mallory had 16 points, eight rebounds and two steals to help Virginia beat Northwestern 83-78 on Friday at the Greenbrier Tip-Off.

De Ridder fouled out with 5:46 to play and Mallory picked up his fifth personal a little more than four minutes later. Mallory, a 5-10 guard, has at least two steals in each game and has 13 steals this season.

Malik Thomas scored 14 points and Dallin Hall added 11 for Virginia (5-0). The Cavaliers have scored at least 80 points in each of their first five games of the season for the first time in program history.

Johann Gruenloh, a 7-foot freshman, blocked a potential tying 3-pointer by Arringten Page with 41 seconds left. Hall hit two free throws to make it 78-73 eight seconds later and the Cavaliers held on from there. Gruenloh, who went into the game averaging 4.25 blocks per game (No. 1 nationally), finished with seven rebounds, five points, three assists and two blocks.

Jayden Reid made 11 of 14 from the free-throw line and scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half for Northwestern (4-1). Page fouled out with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting,

Hall hit a 3-pointer that capped a 8-0 run and gave Virginia a two-point lead with 9:35 to play and a 10-2 run that culminated when Hall made another 3 gave the Cavaliers a 74-70 advantage with 2:31 remaining.

Virginia shot just 38% (24 of 64) from the field and went 5 of 24 (21%) from 3-point range but shot 83% from the free-throw line, where the Cavaliers outscored Northwestern 30-17. The Wildcats made 27 of 58 (48%) overall, 7 of 16 (44%) from behind the arc, and 17 of 24 (71%) from the foul line.

The Cavaliers made their most free throws since they hit 31 of 36 in a 77-74 loss to Tennessee in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

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The Associated Press

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