Virginia women’s basketball snapped a three-game skid Saturday night with an 81-54 victory over New Jersey Institute of Technology (2-5, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) inside John Paul Jones Arena.
Clad in all-orange uniforms, the Cavaliers employed a three-quarter-court press from the tip. Their active hands forced 14 Highlander turnovers by the break, but a hesitant Virginia five failed to take full advantage on the other end.
“I think when plays broke down we didn’t know what to do, so we started thinking, ‘Just get it to someone so they can shoot,’” sophomore forward Lauren Moses said. “We just weren’t as aggressive and turned the ball over because we were being lackadaisical.”
Junior forward Sidney Umeri’s free throw extended the Cavalier lead to 37-24 with a minute remaining in the second quarter, but eight seconds later NJIT freshman guard Kelly Guarino drained her third of seven three-pointers in the game. The Highlanders entered the break trailing by 10.
In the locker room, Virginia coach Joanne Boyle and her staff pointed out two weak spots that had allowed a slighter opponent like NJIT to hang around.
“We needed to work on rebounding,” Boyle said. “We were only plus-one on the boards after the first half. NJIT’s shooter, Kelly Guarino — we knew she was a shooter, and she got loose a couple of times. We were trying to press, but I don’t think we did a good job taking care of her.”
After junior guard Breyana Mason knocked down a jumper at the start of the third quarter, Virginia again scrambled into its 1-2-2 press. The Cavaliers were more poised and aggressive this time around.
“Honestly, I think [the run] started on our press,” sophomore guard Aliyah Huland El said. “We really upped the tempo, and whenever we do well in the press, it kind of raises the camaraderie. When that is working, obviously we get good shots.”
Moses continued to call for the basketball in the post, shot-fake and go up strong, while senior forward Faith Randolph and Huland El extended the Highlander defense with perimeter jump shots. All three contributed to a 12-2 Virginia run.
Having scored just four points on two of five shooting in the 85-73 loss Wednesday to No. 24 Iowa, Huland El gave Virginia a huge boost off the bench Saturday. She finished with a team-high 17 points on seven of 10 shooting and added six rebounds and four assists.
“Scoring is really not my main priority — winning is,” Huland El said. “And I think that’s why I was playing at a different level. We were so used to getting beat I think that kind of lowered our ante. I think it’s really important we keep sharing the ball and playing good defense and getting these wins.”
Coach Boyle had to be pleased with how the team responded to her message at halftime. Over the final two quarters, the Cavaliers scored 22 points in the paint, received 26 points off the bench, dished another nine assists, and held a plus-nine rebounding margin.
“The things we talk about the rebounding, the assists, sharing the basketball, all of those things make us a better team,” Boyle said. “It’s not something we can pick and choose to do. We have to do it every game. We as coaches just have to be in the mindset throughout the game is that happening or is that not happening.”
In practices leading up to an 11 a.m. home game Tuesday against Bowling Green, Boyle will prepare her group for what should be the rowdiest crowd of the 2015-2016 season. Yellow buses will unload thousands of school-age children outside the arena, and admirable chaperones will attempt to keep the flocks under control inside.
“We are going to have to go in with a game plan, because I don’t know how much they are going to be able to hear me in the game,” Boyle said. “But again, a great atmosphere for our girls to play in, a great atmosphere for the kids to be involved in on a school day like that. … They’ll definitely be a sixth man for us.”
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