:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71843201/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdG9yYWdlLmdvb2dsZWFwaXMuY29tL3Zpcmdpbmlhc3BvcnRzLWNvbS8yMDIzLzAxLzliOTVhY2IyLTA4MGEzNjU1LmpwZw.0.jpg)
Minus
This was always going to be Hell Week on the Virginia Cavaliers’ schedule: traveling to Virginia Tech and then to NC State. These are both legitimate top 10 teams with Final Four aspirations. NC State is the class of the ACC, having won the regular season three straight times. Tech boasts last years’ ACC Player of the Year in Liz Kitley and two of the more impactful transfers in the conference in Ashley Owusu and Taylor Soule. Losing these two games signifies nothing more than we’re just not there yet, and we will get our fair ups, hosting both of them home later in the season.
Minus
Midway through the 3rd quarter of the NC State game, Mir McLean landed hard and was writhing on the floor in pain for several minutes. Judging by the reaction of team, coaches and trainers, I feared a long-term injury. It took about five minutes for her to be stretchered off the hardwood. The team was visibly shaken, and I had presumed she’d been ferried off to a hospital, but at the end of the game, she was in a brace and on crutches at the end of the bench. That’s a good sign, but McLean could be out for a while, and this team’s ceiling craters without McLean.
Minus
The Cavaliers made Virginia Tech look awfully good, losing 74-66 because the Hokies were without Kitley—out with a sprain in practice and a game-time scratch—and Owusu, who’s been out for a while. Tech got big games from Georgia Amoore and Taylor Soule, 22 and 18 points respectively, and while both teams struggled from beyond the arc in the first half, Tech got hot in the second, going 6-14. That’s 43%, and Virginia was left in the dust. Adding insult to injury, Tech then went down to Miami, with Liz Kitley, and promptly loses.
Plus
Camryn Taylor was strong in both games, scoring 34 points while going 14-25 along the way. But she fouled out against Tech and had four fouls versus NC State. Virginia is not a big team and they struggle with height. Taylor’s mid-range game is perhaps better than vintage Jayden Gardner, but the size of ACC foes is a challenge for Taylor defensively.
Minus
The familiar bugaboos of poor three-point shooting—just 4-17 vs Tech and 4-18 vs NC State—and equally poor free throw shooting—14 for 23 over both games—means that there are only two ways for the team to score. That would be in transition or in the paint, and the team is doing it well, but, hey, this is the ACC, and so can everyone. NC State’s Camille Hobby and River Baldwin combined to go 9-14 down low, with an additional 7-8 from the foul line. Taylor was on fire in the first quarter with 8 points, but after Virginia went 2-10 from deep, Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore just pulled everyone back, packed the paint and stuffed Virginia for the last three quarters. NC State recorded 12 blocks for the game, at least half of them on McLean. This team desperately needs some outside shooting and Coach Agugua Hamilton gave major minutes to Cady Pauley, who then proceeded to 1-7 over the two games. If there is a prescription I can suggest it would be to devise a play in transition to look for a trailing Sam Brunelle, who is Virginia’s only legitimate threat.
Plus
I love Cady Pauley. You have to keep your eyes on her, and while she had a dud of a game vs. the Wolfpack, her defense is getting better. Like Sam Hauser on the Celtics, when she is on the floor, she’s going to be targeted. But she is doing a much better job of staying in front of her man, and that bodes well for the future.
Next Up: There is no break in this schedule as the women host No. 22 UNC on Thursday, January 12. The Tar Heels had a three-game skid reminiscent of their male counterparts, but seem to have regrouped, as they comfortably defeated #4 Notre Dame this weekend. Tip-off is 7:00pm and the game is on ACCN Extra.
Loading comments...