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The Virginia Cavaliers could have won this game, and given both the men and women mid-week wins over the UNC Tar Heels. With 6:41 remaining in the 4th quarter, Virginia held a 57 – 48 lead over UNC, but the Cavs would go ice cold, committing eight turnovers and being outscored 22 – 2 down the stretch. The announcers claimed that it was fatigue, but Taylor Valladay, Sam Brunelle and Camryn Taylor all were in foul trouble and had sat extensive periods of the game. I think the bigger culprit was just a lack of composure. UNC switched to a zone and added full court pressure and the ‘Hoos just couldn’t cope.
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Virginia actually outshot UNC from deep, converting 9 of 29 three-point attempts. Brunelle made her first five from deep while Carole Miller was 2 – 5. It was back-to-back threes from Brunelle and Miller that gave Virginia that short-lived 57 – 48 lead.
Plus
Virginia jumped all over UNC to start the 2nd half. After scoring 27 points in the first half, the Cavaliers scored 24 points in the 3rd frame. This Virginia team can score points in bunches. Taylor Valladay, Miller, Alexia Smith and Kaydan Lawson can all push the ball effectively in transition and the rest of the team is doing a better job of getting down court for the transition three. In that glorious 3rd, the team was even successful at the free throw line as both London Clarkson and Smith actually converted both their free throws, which was shocking…
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Because for the rest of the night, Virginia was only 50% from the charity stripe. UNC shot 77% which is where a good team ought to be. Poor free-throw shooting continues to plague this team.
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The referees did not cover themselves in glory – I’m sure both coaches were not happy with the officiating – but even though the game was at home, Virginia got a healthy dose of Carolina officiating. The game was very physical – I’m not sure I’ve seen so many players splayed out on the floor – but this one got away from the refs.
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London Clarkson brought all the energy that the ‘Hoos lost with Mir McLean’s season-ending knee injury. I think this was a season-high 25 minutes and she never stopped battling on the boards.
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These women can rebound the ball. Even without McLean, the Cavs out-rebounded the Tar Heels 48 – 37, and doubled their totals on the offensive glass, 16 – 8. Miller is turning into a beast on the boards. Virginia won the battle for second chance points 14 – 2, which is great, but UVA got a lot of offensive boards because the Wahoos missed just so many shots.
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Valladay had her best game of the season scoring 16 points, 10 in the first quarter which ended with UVA leading 15 – 12. She took three very hard fouls and at one point was shown limping toward the locker room, but she is one tough player. For the second consecutive game, Valladay didn’t start and she came in the first quarter with an obvious chip on her shoulder. Virginia needs more of that Valladay.
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Four ranked teams in the past five games. With this game, the hardest stretch of the Cavaliers’ schedule has ended. The ACC slate remains as much of a gauntlet as ever, and I’d hesitate to characterize the remainder of the season as “easy,” but opportunities will be there. The final score wasn’t particularly close, but UNC knows they were on the ropes. UVA can hang with anyone. The first 13 minutes of the second half was basketball the way it’s supposed to be played. If Virginia can learn to play this way for an entire 40 minutes, then there will be more actual victories ahead than moral victories.
Next Up: Virginia hosts Boston College on Sunday, January 15th. Game time is 12:00 noon and the game is on the ACC Network.
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