The Plus/Minus: Analyzing UVA women’s basketball’s 85-59 win against George Washington

Welcome to the plus/minus my version of the standard things-I-liked, things-I-didn’t like game recap, retitled to account for the standard +/- box score metric. Today we’re taking a look back at yesterday’s 85-59 win for the Virginia Cavaliers women’s basketball team over George Washington as Coach Mox and the ‘Hoos kicked off a new era for the program with an encouraging victory.

Plus

A win is a win is a win. And as the inaugural win for Coach Mox, this one will always be special. Simple as that.

Minus

It was a tepid first half for the Wahoos who found themselves down 34-30 at halftime to the George Washington Colonials. Despite an overwhelming size advantage — Virginia has six six-footers on the roster while GW has none — UVA was out-rebounded on both sides of the glass and the battle in the paint was a dead heat. GW’s Nya Lok, who eviscerated Virginia last year with 26 points off the bench, came off the bench again and had seven points in just five minutes of game time.

Plus

The second half was Taylor Valladay time. She played sparingly in the first half as she picked up a couple of quick fouls. Freshman Yonta Vaughn played 15 of her 19 minutes in the first half. Vaughn is a four-star recruit and she’s gonna be good. Vaughn plays with energy as she grabbed six rebounds and she’s got great vision, evidenced by her five assists. That said, she’s not there yet as a point guard. Valladay is. She forced the pace and attacked the paint as the Cavaliers ran the Colonials off the court in the second half.

Minus

Columnists eating crow. Here’s what I wrote about Kaydan Lawson in my state of the program piece last week: At this point in her career, she looks to be a career backup.

Boy, was I wrong. Lawson started the game and it took her just four seconds to score the inaugural points of the season following a fast break off the tip-off. Lawson is a career 18% bomber from deep, but today she went 4-7. She took three defensive rebounds coast-to-coast and she was every bit the catalyst for a team that ran at every opportunity.

This is also what I wrote about Lawson earlier: She’s strong, a decent rebounder, and plays with a lot of energy, and tries to push the pace, which is what Coach Mox has been preaching since she arrived on Grounds.

Hmm… maybe I wasn’t so wrong, after all.

Plus

Camryn Taylor. Last year Taylor departed the team after 12 games for a leave of absence. It was never specified then, but it has now been revealed that Taylor lost her mom early in the fall and didn’t really process her grief until she left the team.

Well, she’s back, and playing with a vengeance for her missed time. She had a double-double — 22 points and 13 boards — and she simply bullied GW down low. She was the team’s best player last year for the out-of-conference slate, you know, when she had a size advantage. It’ll get tougher once we get to ACC play, but I suspect Taylor’s play will be the bellwether for the team’s overall success.

Minus

Injuries stink. Mir McLean is out with an unspecified thumb injury. We don’t know when she’s due to return, but apparently it is “soon.” Guard Alecia Smith, who started the exhibition versus Pitt-Johnstown, did not dress and was seated behind the bench.

Plus

Virginia had five players in double figures — Valladay, Lawson, Taylor, Carole Miller, and Sam Brunelle — and every player scored. The sweetest bucket came with just under a minute left when Coach Mox called a play for freshman Cady Pauley (who had not scored yet.) Pauley ran around the screen (you’d be forgiven if you thought that was very reminiscent of the curling runs Kyle Guy used to run). Pauley calmly drilled the three.

Plus

31-9. That was the fourth quarter scoring as the ‘Hoos ran away from GW by in the fourth stanza. I don’t care what level you’re competing at, 31 points in a single 10-minute quarter is amazing.

Plus

Sam Brunelle looked practically bionic in the knee braces she’s chosen. She took them off during half-time and looked more comfortable as a result. Hopefully she’ll continue to look more fluid on the court as she returns from offseason shoulder surgery.

Plus

Virginia started the quarters off well. Lawson scored four seconds into the first quarter. Coming out of the fourth quarter huddle, Virginia scored eight points in the opening 80 seconds.

Plus

It is hoops season and the games are going to come quickly. JPJ was rocking for most of the night, so hopefully fans will only continue to show out more and more as the season progresses. The women next play on Thursday the 10th. Game time is set for 7pm as the ‘Hoos take on UMBC.