With only eight days until the ACC Tournament, the Conference-leading Virginia women's basketball team faces one of its final tests tonight at Maryland at 7:30 p.m.
The matchup with the Terps (13-12, 4-10 ACC) is one of two crucial ACC games that still lay ahead of Virginia. The No. 16 Cavaliers (21-6, 12-2) now sit a game ahead of No. 9 Duke in the Conference standings and will secure the top seed in the ACC Tournament by winning their remaining games against Maryland and Wake.
|
"We have a very tough game against Maryland," Virginia Coach Debbie Ryan said. "We don't take anything for granted, nor are we going to think that we can walk into [either] of these games and not play [well] and win."
The Cavs have won four straight games, including a 60-51 win Sunday over then-No. 7 N.C. State, and need to continue their aggressive play against a mediocre Maryland team.
"We have played real hard in almost every game, but we couldn't turn them into wins," Terp Coach Chris Weller said. "Our chances of making an impact in the Tournament aren't great."
But Ryan said the Cavaliers cannot take the Terps for granted. In the teams' first meeting Jan. 15, Virginia scraped by with a 76-68 win at University Hall.
"We have to guard against a letdown." Ryan said. The players "all know that Maryland is a tough game ... and how much Maryland gets up to play us."
The backcourt tandem of senior Tiffany Brown and sophomore March Strickland ignites the Terrapin offense. Strickland leads the team with 14.2 points-per-game and tops the Conference with 43-percent three-point shooting, while Brown averages 12.4 ppg.
In the Virginia backcourt, sophomore guard Telisha Quarles stands as the reigning ACC Player of the Week. She averaged 14 ppg last week, including 17 against the Wolfpack.
The Cavaliers also will rely on the leadership and playmaking of senior point guard Renee Robinson, who averages 9.0 ppg and leads the Conference with 5.0 assists-per-game.
"What makes [the Cavs] tough is that [they] don't listen to what other people say," Weller said. "They don't listen to who others say is the best player on the team. They play very unselfishly and everyone makes their own contributions."
Now in the final stretch of their season, the Cavaliers hope to keep their momentum and lock down the top berth in the ACC Tournament. A win tonight would guarantee Virginia a share of the regular-season crown.
"The good thing about this team is they really stay together when the chips are on the line," Ryan said. "They know how to win at the end"
Read More
Malik Washington selected 184th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins
By Xander Tilock | 21 hours agoWashington may have fallen down the draft board, but he will surely make a significant impact at the professional level.
At Virginia wushu, everybody is ‘Kung Fu Fighting’
By Xander Tilock | 22 hours agoA national powerhouse, Virginia wushu is both a top tier athletic club and a welcoming community.
Five Takeaways from Virginia’s Spring Game
By Peter Kriebel | YesterdayVirginia football is shaping up to make significant progress in 2024, led by an array of newcomers and promising underclassmen.
