California did its damage early, and the Cavaliers were unable to dig themselves out of the hole they sustained in the first half. However, where Virginia’s response and resilience were present, execution floundered. Despite an impressive second half from Virginia, including trimming a 16-point deficit to two in the final period, Virginia (17-8, 9-5 ACC) could not overcome the offensive gap created before halftime.
The Golden Bears (16-10, 7-6 ACC) set the tone early and often. A three-pointer from junior guard Lulu Twidale opened the scoring, and two Cavalier turnovers quickly turned into transition points as California jumped ahead 7-2, forcing Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton to call a timeout. Sloppy ball security in transition offense led to a stagnant and one-step-slow transition defense, and the early rhythm favored the home team.
California’s efficient shot-making ability led to a 28-point second quarter for the Golden Bears, contributing to a stellar 16-for-30 from the field and 6-for-13 from behind the arc in the first half. Twidale and graduate center Sakima Walker were on fire, scoring 13 and 16 first-half points, respectively. Meanwhile, Virginia’s offense sputtered, managing just 11-for-31 from the field and 1-for-6 from downtown.
For the Cavaliers, any momentum heading into the break could have proven instrumental in starting a second-half comeback. But a buzzer-beating turnaround hook shot from Walker, notching the score at 45-29, showed exactly how the first half went for both teams — countless shotmaking from California and a lackluster performance from Virginia.
Agugua-Hamilton’s halftime message completely shifted Virginia’s tone.
Graduate guard Romi Levy, after being an active contributor in the first half with seven points in 14 minutes off the bench, opened the second half with a smooth pull-up jumper, which headlined an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to eight in just three and a half minutes. Virginia tightened its 3-2 zone considerably in the second half, limiting the Golden Bears to just 3-for-13 shooting and 0-for-4 from three. After ending the second quarter on a bad foot, a 7-0 run by the Cavaliers to close the third narrowed the score to 53-45.
The Cavaliers’ defensive energy dictated the pace of the game in the final period. Virginia forced three turnovers in under five minutes in the fourth and strung together a 13-2 run. The run cut the lead to four after Virginia cashed in on an elbow jumper from senior forward Tabitha Amanze, the Cavaliers’ leading scorer with 14 points and four rebounds.
Although junior guard Kymora Johnson, Virginia’s leading scorer this season, had an off-night with 10 points on 3-for-11 shooting, her presence was undoubtedly still felt, namely by notching eight assists. Senior guard Paris Clark brought impressive hustle in the second half, adding seven points and seven rebounds, including the coast-to-coast transition bucket after her crucial block on the defensive end, which left just a two-point deficit for the Cavaliers, 60-58.
Notably, Walker and Twidale — who combined for 29 points in the first half — scored just four in the second, a testament to the Cavaliers’ adjustments. However, these adjustments were still defective when it mattered most. Clutch-time execution was the difference in the matchup. Two opportunities to tie the game did not fall for junior forward Sa'Myah Smith, and four clutch free throws from Twidale iced the game.
This loss is a major blow to the Cavaliers’ chances of making the NCAA Tournament, as ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme now has Virginia as one of the first four teams out of the tournament as a result of Thursday’s bout. Next, the Cavaliers remain on the West Coast to take on Stanford (16-10, 5-8 ACC) at 2 p.m. Sunday on ACCNX in an effort to bounce back from a loss defined by stagnant first-half offense and playing catch-up.
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