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Editor’s note:
Following Sunday’s tragedy, we decided to suspend our typical content on the site and focus on covering the events that were unfolding and the news that was coming out. While we are still committed to doing so, as various UVA athletics teams have begun competition once again while still grieving their friends, classmates, and brothers, we think it’s only fair that we cover their efforts and document the incredibly inspiring resilience they are putting on display. Thank you for reading, and Go ‘Hoos.
“Yesterday, we met as a team and spent a good part of the afternoon and evening together. First, I just wanted to be there for them and let them know that they were loved and not alone during this trying time. We have several players that were very close to those three young men. But even the ones that were not are still dealing with the trauma lingering from the senseless act of violence against some of their peers. We talked about this game as a group, and the consensus was that they want to compete for Lavel, Devin, and D’Sean, because that was the best way we could honor them.”
Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton
Plus
Mission Accomplished. The student-athlete population at Virginia is relatively small, probably less than 900 students. They know each other. This was a hard week for everyone connected to the University. I imagine it was doubly hard for these women. They came to Chicago and acquitted themselves well.
Plus
Ghosts of Missouri Valley Conference dominance. Coach Mox ran roughshod over the MVC in her three years there. Until this year, Loyola was a member of the MVC, so it was almost old-home week for Agugua-Hamilton as she continues her torrid start to her career as a Virginia Cavalier. The team won their fourth game to start the season 4 – 0. Last year, the team didn’t win its fourth game until February 17th.
Plus
Virginia has tip-off play. Like, you know, teams have in-bounds plays. Sam Brunelle sets herself on the attacking side of halfway. Camryn Taylor tips the ball forward to her. Brunelle pivots and passes to Kayden Lawson who had taken off as the ball was tossed up. UVA has run that two of the last three games. I love the attention to detail.
Minus
Taylor, who came into the game averaging a team-leading 16+ points/game, had only two touches on the offensive end in the first half. She scored on both those touches, but one was off an offensive rebound. She was never able to establish position down low. Taylor Valladay and Yonta Vaughn each tried once to feed her the ball, but ended up throwing the ball away. Loyola led most of the first half and went into the locker-room up 35 – 29.
Plus
Tony Bennett would love this defense. Four times – once each quarter – the Cavaliers forced a 30-second violation. This Virginia defense was active and engaged all game long. Loyola’s ball movement was excellent in the first half and they shot 42% from deep, but Loyola’s offensive prowess wasn’t sustainable. Virginia’s defensive effort was.
Minus
The refs had an eventful game. There were no egregiously bad calls, but several touch fouls were… mercurial. Inconsistent. Bemusing. Let’s just say that the refs were inconsistent both ways. If out-of-conference games are about player growth and development, hopefully the same will be true for the referees.
Plus
Taylor Valladay’s third quarter. Down six points with 8 minutes left in the quarter, Valladay simply took over. In one stretch she scored 8 straight points by attacking the rim. She went coast-to-coast off a steal and again off a rebound, and the other two times she went right at the heart of the Loyola defense. Coach Mox wants this team to attack in transition, and both Valladay and Lawson are eager disciples. This Virginia team can score in bunches.
Plus
A tip of the hat to Loyola. They sank buzzer beaters at the end of the first quarter and the first half. There were 15 seconds left in the third quarter when they got the ball and they made that bucket with six seconds left. I think this is going to be a fun year for Loyola.
Minus
Mir McLean’s gamesmanship. McLean is a stunning contributor to this team. She is a legit defensive stopper and a fine rebounder. She is an agent of chaos. She drew three charges and appeared to be fouled on the offensive end twice. I won’t say she’s flopping, but she’s selling the heck out of contact.
Plus
Virginia went 0 – 5 from deep in the first half. They wouldn’t make one all game. The shots weren’t falling, so they stopped taking ‘em. After averaging 25 threes a game, the Cavaliers only took nine this game. It was a game-changing tactical adjustment.
Plus
Virginia has a second unit that brings real energy to the court. Last year, UVA didn’t have a second unit per se. Lawson and London Clarkson were the two primary subs, but they mostly just plugged holes. This year the trio of Vaughn, Clarkson and Alexia Smith bring a noticeable energy and they can change the complexion of the game. Carole Miller has started every game the past two years and her minutes are way down this year, but I think she’s more effective coming in off the bench.
Plus
Homecoming for Valladay and Taylor. Both are Marquette transfers and both hail from the Chicago area. Besides bringing the energy, they brought their families. Virginia was NOT playing in a hostile gym. The women were very well supported, even this far away from home.
Plus
Warrior of the Day goes to Loyola’s Sitori Tanin. Late in the game, with Loyola behind, her shoe came off. She tried to put it on as she was running back, but she couldn’t get it on. Camryn Taylor was alone in the low post. Tanin had to get back. So she tossed her shoe off the court and played in one stocking foot.
Up Next: Virginia travels to American University on Sunday, November 20th. Game time is 2:00pm and the game is on ESPN+.
As a special + / - bonus, here’s my thoughts from Sunday’s game against Wake Forest, which we held off on printing following the horrific tragedy on Sunday night.
Wake Forest ended Virginia’s season last year, knocking out the Cavaliers in the first round of the ACC tournament. Virginia was happy to return the favor in this, the very first game of ACC play.
Plus
Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton picked up her first career ACC win as the coach of the Virginia Cavaliers. The game wasn’t particularly close.
Plus
Virginia denied the same to Wake Forest University’s new head coach, Megan Gebbia. Gebbia possesses a mid-major pedigree that exceeds that of Coach Mox: Nine Patriot League Conference titles in 10 years and twice named Coach of the Year. As coach of American last year, Gebbia defeated UVA the last time she walked into the JPJ.
Plus
Virginia scored points in bunches. The ‘Hoos had a pair of 10 – 0 runs in the third quarter to take charge of what had been a tightly contested game. Kayden Lawson, a career 18% shooter from deep prior to this season, continued her Justin Anderson-like revival as a three-point gunner going 3 – 3 in the 3rd quarter and scored 13 points in the quarter. Camryn Taylor, after going scoreless in the opening frame, had nine of her 13 points in the second quarter.
Plus
Virginia put up a 20-point victory on a decent Wake Forest squad. Wake is led by last year’s leading scorer in the ACC, Jewel Spear and, as a team, returned 89% of last season’s scoring, the highest in the ACC. Virginia won comfortably despite not shooting particularly well: UVA shot 31% from 3-point range and just 36% overall. And Virginia still dropped a 27 - 11 third quarter on the Deacons, and 27-point quarters are to be cherished.
Minus
Camryn Taylor made her first three of the season on her very first attempt versus George Washington. It’s given her perhaps a tad too much confidence in her outside shot. She was just 0 – 2, but one was an airball and the other wasn’t particularly close.
Plus
Mir McLean played her first game of the season and Alexia Smith returned after a one-game absence. As suspected, McLean started on the wing but she was all over the court. She’s going to create havoc on the boards all season. Smith will give UVA greater depth than they have had the past couple of seasons.
Minus
I would expect that McLean is going to lead this team in free throws, even without plays being run for her. She’s Virginia’s most active player. But she’s going to have to do better at the line, for on this day she went just 2 – 6 from the charity stripe.
Plus
Wake’s Jewel Spear is the real deal. She averaged 19 points per game last season and hit 23 in both prior games this year. You might be familiar with the old box-and-1 defense from middle school. Well, Virginia’s box-and-1 on Spear was on steroids. Lawson and Smith drew the assignment to face-guard Spear, and I do mean face-guard. They were five inches away from Spear, not even paying attention to the ball, just staying between her and, well, everything. Spear didn’t just have to work to get her shots — 3-12 from the field — but to even touch the ball. She had just nine points and wasn’t a factor at all.
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