If it seemed unlikely that the Virginia women's basketball team could travel to Maryland after a sore loss at N.C. State and dominate the Terps, 69-56, then the Cavaliers will be looking to make lightning strike twice tonight.
Coach Debbie Ryan and her team face Georgia Tech tonight at 7:30 at University Hall to close out this season's series against the Yellowjackets.
In the last meeting between the two teams Jan. 7, the Jackets snapped Virginia's five-game winning streak and handed them a 65-70 loss.
Since that game, the Jackets have lost six of seven games to drop them to 11-10 overall, 2-8 in the ACC. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers (15-9, 6-5 ACC) also struggled with inconsistent play. Virginia beat Richmond on Jan. 18 and had an impressive showing against a tough Duke squad Jan. 22, but the Cavaliers lost to Florida State for the first time in school history Jan. 24.
Perhaps the decisiveness of the Maryland victory on Monday, which saw Virginia lead from beginning to end, will remind the Cavaliers of their previous winning ways earlier.
"It was time to turn things around," Ryan said in explanation for the strong showing at Maryland.
Terrapins' coach Chris Weller praised the physical nature of Virginia's defense and said that her team had "shot as poorly as we've shot all year," in the loss that snapped Maryland's own five-game winning streak.
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Georgia Tech's leading shooter this season is sophomore guard Niesha Butler. Her 16.6 point average puts her sixth in the ACC for scoring. She is also sixth in steals with a season total of 42.
Going up against Virginia forward Schuye LaRue, who is second in the ACC in scoring and steals, Butler will need support from teammates Milli Martinez (12.5 points, 7.6 rebounds) and Sonja Mallory (10.7 points). Mallory leads the team with 27 blocked shots.
Virginia needs another strong performance from senior forward Svetlana Volnaya, who has struggled at times this season. But Volnaya made her presence known outside the arc by sinking six three-pointers against Maryland and on the floor with a total of 27 points.
Junior guard Telisha Quarles will also need to step up for the Cavaliers. Although she ran into foul trouble at Maryland, Quarles can be a strong asset to the offense and at times fills in at Virginia's weak point position.
Senior guard Katie Tracy, freshman Anna Prillaman and freshman Chelsea Whitaker all played the point against Maryland.
The Cavaliers lead the series against Georgia Tech 42-5 and have never lost to the Jackets in Charlottesville. If the same Virginia team that traveled to Maryland shows up tonight at University Hall, keeping that record intact will be much easier.
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