From David to Goliath: Ryan Odom prepares for first NCAA Tournament game as Virginia head coach

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 19: Head coach Ryan Odom of the Virginia Cavaliers talks to the media during practice day ahead of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images PHILADELPHIA – Ryan Odom made his name as a head coach delivering the biggest upset in the history of the NCAA Tournament, when his UMBC Retrievers became the first 16-seed to beat a No. 1 seed, defeating Tony Bennett’s Virginia Cavaliers.

Eight years later, Odom is the head coach of Virginia, the very team he took down. This time around though, Odom no longer finds himself playing the role of giant killer. On Friday afternoon, it’s Virginia’s opponent, the Wright State Raiders, that will have upset on their minds as Odom’s group takes the floor in the first round of March Madness.

Odom played the role of David as well as anyone while at UMBC. Although he didn’t pull off upsets while he was the head coach at both Utah State and VCU, Odom brings a unique perspective having spent that much time as the underdog. There’s only three rotation players on the Cavaliers that have played in the NCAA Tournament, which makes Odom’s experience that much more valuable.

“Well at Virginia, we don’t talk about UMBC too much,” Virginia senior Devin Tillis joked. “Taking [Odom’s] experience being at a mid-major school and being one of the only 16 seeds to win a game, he knows that every team in this tournament is capable of doing anything… He knows that it means a lot to every school that’s in this tournament… We need to continue to be on one and not take any game too lightly. ” Tillis, who played in the NIT the past three seasons as UC Irvine, is one of eight Cavaliers who have yet to take part in the Big Dance.