After an electric double overtime win against Florida State, Virginia women’s basketball headed to its second-straight ACC road matchup in Atlanta to face Georgia Tech. Although the game was rather sloppy, the Cavaliers (13-3, 5-0 ACC) were able to grind out a win against the Yellow Jackets (7-10, 2-3 ACC) 61-59, with the outcome coming down to the final second.
Following a pattern seen in many first quarters this season, Virginia’s offense started slowly, highlighted by a three-minute drought midway through the opening quarter that plagued scoring production. However, even under a static offense, the squad still dominated early because of Georgia Tech struggling to find an offensive rhythm, only having a field goal percentage of 23.5 percent.
But that stalemate did not impact the Yellow Jackets’ defense, which had seven steals through the first quarter, cornering the Cavaliers. It was their defense, with a mixture of messy Virginia fouls that gave Georgia Tech the lead, bringing the score to 15-13 by the quarter’s end.
The Cavaliers bounced back in the second quarter, bumping up their shotmaking and aggressiveness in the paint. Graduate forward Caitlin Weimar was a key driving force in changing the game’s momentum on both ends of the floor. Weimar snatched two rebounds and scored four points within two minutes. And by the quarter’s end, Weimar had six of the team’s blocks, one shy of a career high.
In nearly the entire first half, Kymora Johnson, star junior guard known for her explosive scoring, was rather quiet. However, within the last two minutes, Johnson turned up the heat, shooting back-to-back three-point shots to extend the Cavaliers’ lead to 31-26 at the break.
Despite the close score, the Yellow Jackets shot poorly in the first 20 minutes, making only six field goals — it was their 14 made free throws that kept them in the conversation. So, moving into the second half, the message for Virginia was quite simple — limit unnecessary fouls.
But that statement proved easier said than done for the Cavaliers. Almost immediately, Georgia Tech had three ‘and-one’ opportunities due to personnel from Weimar and graduate guard Romi Levy, which resulted in three more points.
Senior guard Paris Clark took charge in the third quarter, scoring seven points to propel the Cavaliers forward, though their lead was only stretched to 53-46 to start the fourth. The final quarter was overcome by scoring droughts, each team missing several shots and falling victim to turnovers for over five minutes, points only coming from free throws.
As the clock dipped under three minutes, Virginia led 59-54 when sophomore guard Talayah Walker knocked down a timely three-point shot for the Yellow Jackets, making it a two-point game. With 24 seconds remaining, Johnson was quickly fouled and sank both free throws. However, the Georgia Tech offense immediately answered with a layup of its own, bringing the score to 61-59 with just 14 seconds remaining.
Initially, the Cavaliers were given possession, prepared to play keep-away and close out the game. But after a crucial foul by Weimer, Virginia was back on defense, allowing Georgia Tech one last possession to make or break the game. As the clock ticked down to zero, the Yellow Jackets attempted to get off a quick play but missed the final shot, allowing Virginia to hold onto the win.
Though the Cavaliers prevailed, the matchup was a rough outing for Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton’s squad. Although this game may seem easy to dismiss as a one-off on the road against a mediocre opponent, Virginia has struggled in similar situations this season, including that narrow escape at Florida State.
“I'm just really happy that we were able to persevere through adversity, get over the hump, but we have to make sure that we learn, and we have to be able to win close games,” Agugua-Hamilton said.
There are clearly areas of play the Cavaliers must adjust, particularly regarding fouls and free throws. If Virginia aims to keep its winning streak alive and be a serious tournament contender, now is the best time to prove it.
The Cavaliers return to John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday at 2 p.m. against their next ACC opponent, Syracuse, a fellow 13-3 overall team. This game, which will be streamed on ACCNX, will be a true test for Virginia, going head-to-head with a tough in-conference competitor who is also at the top of the ACC.
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