The Plus/Minus: UVA Women’s Basketball Knocks off Boston College

Plus

A win is a win is a win. This is an intriguing Boston College team that will make some noise over the next couple of years. Starting four freshmen and boasting a lineup that features six players averaging in double figures, the Eagles were coming off a week where they knocked off #10 NC State and ACC co-leader Florida State. Freshman Tainia Mair is the real deal and she’s leading the ACC in assists. Both teams are firmly in the NCAA bubble, and today that bubble shimmers brighter for the Virginia Cavaliers.

Minus

Taylor Valladay was suspended for the game (indefinitely) by coach Agugua-Hamilton. There were only 11 players on the roster, and that number dropped with the season-ending injury to Mir McLean. This is a thin team already, and it could prove dire over the course of the season if Valladay is unable to work her way back out of the Coach Mox doghouse.

Minus

Boston College ran Virginia right off the court in the first quarter, 15-8. It would have been much worse for the ‘Hoos had it not been for the fact that the Eagles are young, and prone to turnovers as well — they had five — and are the only team worse than Virginia in the ACC in shooting the long ball. Mair was dicing the Cavalier defense and it looked like the twin losses of McLean and Valladay would be too much for UVa to overcome.

Plus

You know, the team was really poor last year. But despite all the losing, these women never stopped fighting, never stopped playing hard. Well, this year’s iteration doesn’t quit either. Camryn Taylor had a monster first quarter, single-handedly keeping Virginia within striking distance in the first quarter. She scored 6 of Virginia’s 8 points, going 3 – 3 while everyone else went 1 – 12. Taylor made her first six shots and finished with 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Plus

Kaydan Lawson was astounding today, leading the team with 11 points and a career high 15 rebounds. She fought for every loose ball and was in every scrum. She made two threes in the decisive third quarter en route to a 23 – 9 frame. Lawson was on the court last year for every last one of those beatdowns, and she was not going to let it happen today. She’s got the UVa DNA — her sister Dani patrolled the JPJ four years ago — and she was instrumental in the win.

Plus

It’s hard to overstate how singular a game London Clarkson played today. She was all effort and I’m sure she knows she’s got to provide some beef on the boards with the absence of McLean. Clarkson was the leading scorer on the day going 14 – 14 from the free throw line. And yes, you read that correctly. She was a perfect 14 – 14. Coming in she was a 46% free throw shooter and she went 14 – 14. I am pretty sure I have never seen that before. Only one of those shots even touched iron. They were some of the prettiest free throws you could see anyone take. Where has this London Clarkson been? Oh, and she also had six offensive rebounds, three blocks and a pair of steals.

Plus

Players talk about good shooting being contagious. Well it was today, as Clarkson “infected” the rest of the team from the pinstripe. UVA went 27 – 28 from the line, and that’s coming from a team that entered the game well under 70% for the season. Virginia iced the game from the inevitable BC run as Yonta Vaughn and Alexia Smith went 6 – 6 from the line in the game’s last minute.

Minus

Mid-week, the Cavaliers collapsed late against UNC. On this day, the lead was larger and the opponent not so fierce as the Tar Heels, but Virginia still struggled mightily. They lost composure and struggled against BC’s press and were just two blown BC free throws away from being in a three-possession game. Maybe that loss against UNC steeled the Cavs and allowed them to recover and ice the win.

Plus

McKenna Dale is very good defending against the in-bound under the basket. She’s 6-foot with long arms and good instincts. She had two steals in this one.

Plus

Yonta Vaughn, getting more minutes with Valladay’s absence, had five assists to just one turnover. She’s got vision you just can’t teach. She’s struggling to score right now, but she seems ready to be the heir-apparent at the point. Hopefully Valladay will be back soon and that “heir-apparent” coronation will take place next year.

Plus

Sam Brunelle scored her 1000^th career point on this three.

It was probably the dagger that killed the game as Brunelle went back-back from three with Lawson. 1000 points is huge. 1000 points on a 3 is doing it in style.

Next Up: Virginia hosts Florida State on Thursday, January 19th. Game time is 7:00pm and the game is on ACC Network Extra.