Virginia women’s basketball (7-9, 1-2 ACC) overcame a 19-point deficit in the second half to defeat Virginia Tech 62-58 Thursday night.
Junior guard Dominique Toussaint led the Cavaliers with 19 points, including a layup with 52 seconds remaining to put Virginia up 58-56. Sophomore guard Brianna Tinsley scored 15 points for Virginia, going 7-7 from the free throw line to help seal the victory.
The Hokies led 14-11 at the end of the first quarter, as Virginia Tech senior guard Taylor Emery scored all 14 of her team’s points. Emery would lead both teams in scoring with 26 points on the evening.
Though Virginia scored the first five points of the second quarter to take the lead, Emery’s teammates came to life to put Virginia Tech up 30-20 at the half. Sophomore guard Aisha Sheppard, freshman guard Dara Mabrey, and senior forward Regan Magarity each hit three-pointers for the Hokies in the quarter.
Virginia Tech opened the third quarter on an 11-2 run to go up by 19. The Cavaliers were able to close the gap to 15 points by the end of the period, thanks to five points from senior forward Mone Jones and four from Tinsley.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Hokies led the Cavaliers 49-34. Virginia scored the first seven points of the quarter, including a three-point play by Tinsley, before Emery hit a three pointer to stretch the Virginia Tech lead back to 10 points.
A three-pointer by Virginia junior small forward Jocelyn Willoughby and a steal and finish from Tinsley helped cut the deficit to 4 points, 54-50, with 3:12 remaining. The Hokies did not make a field goal from 6:19 to 1:06 in the fourth.
Two free throws by Toussaint tied the game at 54 with 1:35 to play. On the next Virginia Tech possession, Virginia junior forward Lisa Jablonowski stole the ball near half court and hit the left-handed layup at the other end to put the Cavaliers ahead for the first time in f the half.
Emery equalized for the Hokies on the ensuing possession, but then Toussaint drove past Mabrey for the layup that would give Virginia a lead they would not relinquish. Free throws by Willoughby and Tinsley iced the game for the Cavaliers.
Virginia junior center Felicia Aiyeotan made her return from a knee injury suffered on Nov. 20. Aiyeotan played nine minutes off the bench, scoring two points but failing to record a rebound or block.
The Cavaliers will next play on Sunday afternoon at home against North Carolina State. The game will tip off at 2 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.
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