The Virginia women's basketball team returned home Sunday night to take on Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Clash. The Cavaliers (15-14, 7-11 ACC) suffered a crushing 19-point loss to Duke in which they hit only one 3-pointer, but they lost to the fifth-place Hokies (23-6 ACC) , 14-14 (4 ACC) had won their past five games against Virginia and were hoping to build momentum heading into the ACC Tournament. In the end, the Cavaliers dominated Virginia Tech, winning 80-75.
The match kicked off with a bang, with both teams getting on the scoreboard early. On Virginia's first possession, freshman guard Kymora Johnson attempted a shot, but graduate center Elizabeth Kitley blocked it. She quickly found senior guard Georgia Amoore for a transition 3-pointer. Kitley and Amoore entered the game as the Hokies' top two scorers, but both gave the Cavaliers problems throughout the contest. But on the next possession, Johnson tied it with a 3-pointer of her own off an assist from sophomore guard Paris Clark.
A big contributor to Virginia's success in the first quarter was the team's defensive pressure. The Hokies took charge of the basketball offensively all season and coming into the game ranked second in the conference with just 12.3 turnovers per game. However, by the end of the first quarter, they had already turned the ball over six times. One of those turnovers occurred with 3:30 left in the quarter when Johnson stole the ball from junior guard Matilda Ek and made the next layup.
Senior guard Alexia Smith also made a big contribution in the first period. With less than two minutes left, she grabbed a defensive rebound and sprinted to the other side of her court. Facing multiple defenders, she took a shot from inside the paint that miraculously went through the hoop, giving the Cavaliers a six-point advantage. Virginia Tech would end the quarter with two more field goals, but Virginia ended the first quarter with a 17-16 lead.
Unfortunately, the Cavaliers got off to a slow start in the second quarter, unable to make more than a field goal in the first four minutes. During this time, the Hokies scored four times. One of the field goals came just over a minute into the period when Amoor made a step-back 3-pointer. Amoore was unstoppable from beyond the arc all night, making a career-high eight 3-pointers.
Clark was the player who helped pull Virginia out of the doldrums. With just over six minutes left, she drove to the basket and shot the ball over Kitley. She made the shot and was fouled on the play, but she made the free throw.
Then, with just over two minutes remaining, the Cavaliers ran out nearly a second on the shot clock, forcing Clark to take a contested 3-pointer, which she made, giving Virginia a one-point advantage. The Cavaliers gained momentum in the remaining quarters and entered the locker room with a 34-29 lead.
Virginia Tech made a layup within the first 12 seconds and came out of the break ready to go. But Johnson didn't allow his team to lose momentum, scoring on Virginia's ensuing possession.
The Hokies suffered major damage six minutes into the quarter. After successfully converting on a layup, Kitley fell to the ground and appeared to injure his leg. She was taken away and never returned. Kitley had 20 points, so Virginia Tech needed to find another source of scoring.
Fortunately, Amoore was up to the task, making another 3-pointer less than a minute later, this time giving the Hokies a two-point advantage. The Cavaliers regained the lead over the next few minutes and entered the final quarter trailing 56-54.
Amoa was phenomenal throughout the fourth quarter, scoring 16 points on target to keep Virginia Tech in the game and scoring a career-high 39 points. Fortunately for Virginia, the rest of the Hokies' offense struggled to generate baskets.
Trying to protect a one-point lead with just over two minutes left, fifth-year forward Kamryn Taylor turned the ball over and it looked like Virginia Tech had a chance to take the lead on a fast break. However, senior guard Kaydan Lawson recorded a clutch steal to thwart that opportunity.
With 1:20 remaining, graduate forward London Clarkson drove to the basket and made an underhand layup to put Virginia on top. Almost immediately, Johnson stole the ball from freshman guard Carly Wenzel and made a layup. The Cavaliers never looked back and won a memorable 80-75 victory. This was the University of Virginia's first game against the Hokies since 2020.
The Cavaliers finished the season on a high note and found momentum at the right time heading into the ACC Tournament. Expectations remain at the bottom after Sunday's performance, but they have four wins against ranked opponents this season, all in ACC play, and still have a chance to advance in the tournament. has been done. Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton credits the Cavaliers' strong late-season performance to improved team chemistry.
“I think the people around me understand my system better, they understand me, they understand each other,” Agugua-Hamilton said.
Virginia is scheduled to be the No. 11 seed in the tournament and will face No. 14 seed Wake Forest. The tournament begins on Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina, with games available to watch on the ACC Network.
