Virginia now sits at the bottom of the ACC sporting an 0 – 6 record. But look who they have played: NC State (twice) sitting atop the ACC and ranked #4 in the country; Georgia Tech, third in the ACC and #14; Virginia Tech, fourth in the ACC; UNC, sixth and ranked #20, and Duke, eighth in the ACC and #21. In the very best conference in the country, Virginia has only played the cream of the ACC. Better days surely lay ahead.
Virginia        52
UNCÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â 61
Virginia        48
Duke       57
Positive
Virginia started well versus North Carolina and it was a team effort. Eleah Parker, getting the start, opened up hitting her first three shots en route to six first-quarter points. London Clarkson eclipsed her season average in the first quarter, Carole Miller had a nice drive to the bucket and Taylor Valladay showed the mettle she’s been showing the past three of four games. As always for the Cavs, they were very competitive in the first quarter, and they did it despite Amandine Toi submitting her worst quarter of the season.
Negative
And then second quarter began. Virginia committed three fouls in 25 seconds and UNC would be in the bonus at the 7-minute mark. UNC would get a whopping 25 free throws – Virginia had 10 – and they hit three of their five threes in the second quarter alone. For the first time in forever, Parker wasn’t staring down the barrel of a giant in the lane, but the Cavs never were really able to pound the ball down low. Parker took five shots in the first 15 minutes of the game. She would take only one more over the remainder of the game.
Positive
Taylor Valladay eclipsed her career high for the second straight game as she was the only consistent scorer on the night. She scored 18 points to lead all scorers. Kaydan Lawson had 8 offensive boards and 14 total, but she suffered through a 2 – 13 night shooting the ball, largely negating her prowess on the boards.
Negative
Virginia was eye-poppingly poor from distance, going just 2 – 25. Single digit conversion rate when you launch 25+ shots? That’s a formula for failure.
Negative
Against Duke, the women flipped the script. For the first time all season, Virginia was blown out in the first quarter and this game was effectively over early in the second quarter. Head Coach Tina Thompson had to call a timeout just 30 seconds before the media timeout because the game was getting away from the Cavs.
Positive
Virginia wouldn’t go away, though. These women simply do not give up. We’re not good, but these young women are not mailing in games. Duke twice opened up 21 and 18 point leads in the 2nd and 3rd quarters respectively. By the end of that 3rd quarter, Virginia had whittled the lead down to 9 points. After a couple of Duke baskets, the women went on a 12 – 2 run and held the Blue Devils scoreless for over six minutes.
1:15 left and Virginia down by five, Toi got the ball at the elbow and she took the shot that you want your best player to take. Toi has a quick, high, release and she wasn’t particularly troubled on the shot. If she makes it, it’s a one-possession game and maybe the Blue Devils are starting to feel the pressure… She missed the shot, Duke got the rebound, and Virginia had to foul for the rest of the game. Virginia was one makeable shot away from putting a real scare into Duke.
Virginia is not a good team. But a lesser team would have folded up shop long before Toi got her chance.
Positive
How cool is it to have both Tina Thompson and Kara Lawson patrolling the same sidelines?