Virginia's women's basketball team bounced back from last weekend's loss to Hartford with a pair of victories against Wisconsin and Fairleigh Dickinson this weekend.
Virginia cruised to an 84-60 victory against Wisconsin Friday in the inaugural women's Big Ten-ACC Challenge. The Cavaliers (6-3) dominated the Badgers (2-3) for most of the game, opening up a 31-9 lead at the 6:20 mark in the first half. Wisconsin fought back but only got as close as nine points at 50-41 with 13:53 left in the game.
"I knew my team has been playing well throughout this whole stretch and that they would bounce back," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "The defense is what carried us tonight. That's what we focused on. Wisconsin is a very good Big Ten team. They will do well as the year goes on."
The Cavalier defense was solid, limiting Badger senior guard Jolene Anderson to only 18 points. Anderson came in scoring 25 points per game and put up 30 on Virginia in last year's women's NIT quarterfinals to help Wisconsin end the Cavaliers' season 84-78.
"I just thought we neutralized Jolene a little bit better this time," Ryan said. "We didn't give her 30 points, and I think that was the important thing, to hold her under her average so that they really couldn't get the point totals that they needed to beat us. We really did spend a lot of time focusing on her."
It was sweet revenge for Virginia after last year's result. The players had not forgotten how Wisconsin had come back from 14 down last year to defeat them in the WNIT.
"Mentally, [playing the team who ended our season] put me in the mindset, and I hope it put everybody else in the mindset, for those who were there last year, that we're not losing this game," junior forward Lyndra Littles said. "When we beat them, we're going to make it known [last year] shouldn't have happened, which it shouldn't have. I think [Wisconsin] got the message early on in the first half, at least the first 10 minutes, because I remember the score being 20-5."
The Cavaliers had three players in double figures. Littles compiled 17 points and 12 rebounds, and junior center Aisha Mohammed poured in 20 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Monica Wright played very well again, scoring 27 points.
In its next game, Virginia proved to be too much Sunday afternoon for Fairleigh Dickinson (1-5). The Cavaliers ran out to a 46-15 halftime lead and eventually took the victory 83-35.
"I think our biggest concern today was having a letdown," Ryan said. "The tournament in Hawaii really helped us because we learned how to have a quick turn-around and be able to come out with all our guns loaded. I felt like we did that today, creating some separation very early and not playing around."
Wright once again played a solid game, registering 17 points in 22 minutes of action. Littles contributed 19 points in only 17 minutes.
The game allowed for much of Virginia's bench to gain needed experience. Eight players had six points or more.
Next up for the Cavaliers is a trip to Hartford, Conn. where they will take on No. 2 UConn Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
Read More
Payton Cormier breaks Division I goals record
By Michael Liebermann | 21 hours agoCormier has forever cemented his legacy as one of the greatest lacrosse players in NCAA history.
Cavaliers advance to NCAA Championship with second place finish at Baton Rouge Regional
By Stephen O'Dea | 22 hours agoVirginia will head to the National Championship in Carlsbad, Calif., with a chance to make history.
Thank you, Reece Beekman
By Ben Istvan | YesterdayBeekman will leave Charlottesville as the program's all-time leader in steals.
