Virginia women’s basketball rediscovered its rhythm Thursday night with a balanced offensive effort and disruptive defense en route to a dominant 84-46 win at home over Pittsburgh.
“This week … we had time where we weren't necessarily preparing for the next team right away, where we could just get back to some of our fundamentals, work on some special situations and things that we need to get better at, and I thought we did,” Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton said.
Brushing up on fundamentals after a tough ACC road loss at Duke, the Cavaliers (14-5, 6-2 ACC) returned with a renewed focus on the details, prepared to embrace every challenge as it came. Virginia found its stride early with a quick 7-0 run, overwhelming the Panthers (8-13, 1-7 ACC) in the paint in the bout — the Cavaliers outscoring them 50-20 inside the arc.
“I thought we came together as a team, especially in the second half,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “Just got back to having fun, enjoying each other, reading what the defense was giving us, and attacking the zone.”
Attacking the zone proved particularly critical for the Cavaliers in fast-break situations. Virginia racked up 13 steals in the matchup, allowing the Cavaliers to thrive in the open floor and create high-percentage looks with ease.
That style of play was showcased in one sequence that headlined a 16-2 run to end the first half. Senior guard Jillian Brown knocked down a three-point shot, followed by a steal corralled by junior forward Sa’Myah Smith, leading to an easy lay for graduate forward Caitlin Weimar on the other end. After the Panthers once again failed to convert on the next possession, junior guard Kymora Johnson pushed the floor and drained a 26-foot three-point shot.
“Everybody just kind of played together,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “They started clicking, finding each other, playing with pace and we were able to open it up.”
The offense’s connectivity stemmed from the squad’s relentlessness on the glass. Virginia showcased why it leads the ACC in rebounding margin at 13.0, outrebounding Pittsburgh 47-34.
“Rebounding is an emphasis in everything we do on both sides of the ball, but also on defense, so we can start our transition,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “When it comes off the glass to a loose ball, who wants it more? Our players are really playing hungry, and they want it more.”
Weimar was in her bag on post-ups and fast-break chances, leading the Cavaliers in scoring with a season-high 20 points on 8-9 from the floor and adding a perfect 4-4 at the line and seven rebounds. Despite coming in for Virginia off the bench, she scored eight of the Cavaliers’ 20 first-quarter points.
Johnson recorded an efficient scoring night, notching 17 points in 28 minutes played. She was one assist shy of a double-double, also adding five steals and three rebounds to her repertoire. Smith completed the trio of double-digit scorers for Virginia, contributing 10 points, six rebounds and four steals. The Cavaliers tied their season-high in assists at 28.
“We just had really good chemistry today, we were just finding each other,” Weimar said.
Even though Virginia carried a 30-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, inevitably resulting in key players rotating out of the matchup, the Cavaliers’ energy did not wane. When junior guard Raiane Dias Dos Santos splashed a three-point shot for her first points since UMES Nov. 30 and extended the score to 80-46, the Cavalier bench erupted with joy.
If Virginia can continue to display its chemistry and camaraderie while battling through adversity, the Cavaliers could be poised for success down the stretch. The Cavaliers face NC State at John Paul Jones Arena at noon Sunday, airing on ACC Network.
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