A weak second half doomed the Virginia women’s basketball team Thursday night, as they fell 61-49 to ACC opponent Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The Cavaliers could not contain Eagles senior guard Kerri Shields, who went 7-12 from beyond the arc for a game-high 21 points.
Virginia (15-9 7-6 ACC) played a four-guard lineup in the first half, starting senior China Crosby, juniors Kelsey Wolfe and Ataira Franklin and sophomore Faith Randolph, with senior Simone Egwu at center. Both teams came out shooting well and the game remained close for most of the period. The Cavaliers looked to be in control for the first 10 minutes of the game, building a seven-point lead with 8:01 left to play in the half. However, Boston College (10-14, 4-9 ACC) came storming back, using a 9-0 run to take a 20-18 advantage. The Eagles would stay on top for the rest of the half, stretching the deficit to seven points before going into halftime up 33-31.
After the break, Virginia managed to hang around and eventually retook the lead at 41-40 on a layup from sophomore forward Sarah Imovbioh, who had 12 points and 15 rebounds on the night. But it was all Boston College after that, as the Eagles outscored the Cavaliers 21-8 to seal the win at home. The Eagles had four players in double figures, including junior forward Katie Zenevitch, who scored eight unanswered points as she dominated the post in the second half. Virginia was without key senior forward Telia McCall, who is recovering from a concussion.
The loss puts a strain on the Cavaliers’ NCAA Tournament hopes with just five regular season games remaining. The team now heads home for a Sunday matchup against No. 7 Maryland (20-5, 11-2 ACC), and a strong performance would be a huge statement to the tournament selection committee. The Terrapins handily dispatched the Cavaliers 79-55 Dec. 6 in College Park, and feature senior forward Tianna Hawkins and junior forward Alyssa Thomas, the two top scorers in the ACC averaging 19.0 and 17.0 points per game, respectively. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.
—compiled by Michael Eilbacher
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