The key for the Cavaliers, against a team that will force tough shots and likely have more possessions on the game, will be to find an early rhythm on offense and fight for defensive rebounds.
“I think all of us would probably say we outdid ourselves this year,” sophomore Anna Moesch said. “I couldn't be prouder of these girls on this team, and I think it's the best collective team I've ever been on.”
By advancing to the second round, Virginia recorded multiple NCAA Tournament wins for the first time since 2000.
Johnson made perhaps the loudest contract of the game, launching a home run deep to center field in the eighth inning. It all proved to be too little too late as the sun set and the scoreboard displayed a bruising 13-4 final score.
Junior ace pitcher Kyle Johnson took the mound for the first time this season, serving as an opener for sophomore lefty Henry Zatkowski.
An 11 a.m. matchup Saturday against Utah in Scott Stadium will see Will Inderlied land in unexpected territory — his first time playing in the venue his father once did.
“Tomorrow's not promised,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “I think every game now we have an opportunity to reach that. I think our kids are getting hungrier … We have a lot left in our tank.”
“I think when you get to this level, you get to this tournament, all these teams belong here,” Odom said. “Certainly, there were tense moments back and forth, but really proud of the way the guys stood up on the defensive end.”
“I feel like coming into conference play I got my groove back,” Lewis said in an interview before the ACC Tournament.
Johnson’s clutch three-pointer with 30 seconds remaining — and double-double performance alongside graduate forward Caitlin Weimar — stamped Virginia’s ticket to secure its first seed in the NCAA Tournament after an eight-year drought.
The end result may not be what the No. 2-ranked team in the nation hoped — and certainly not ideal after a second consecutive sixth-place finish. However, the Cavaliers still have ample time to build off the elite tsunami of a round they displayed Wednesday, especially given their proven dominance all season long.
“This is by far, one of the best lineups that I’ve been a part of,” Weatherspoon said. “Being able to be in the nine hole with [Becker] and [Gracia] behind me, [it] gives me confidence that I don’t have to put too much pressure on myself.”
Nerve-racking as they may be for the Virginia faithful, such tight contests equipped Odom with a much-needed toolkit for tournament basketball.
Of the Virginia omissions, Denkins and Roller perhaps had the most compelling cases for consideration.
The Cavaliers face Arizona State Thursday for the chance to earn a No. 10 seed and play No. 7 Georgia Saturday.
“Blocking shots is what I do,” Onyenso said. “And I'm really good at it.”
Virginia has the ‘it’ factor, and the narratives of three signature victories this season, contrasted with their failings in 2025, demonstrate it.
As a member of the coaching staff, he is returning the favor to the program and the people that helped shape his identity and career.
“It was really a surprise to tell you the truth,” Tiffany said. “As I was running out of LaValle Stadium, somebody from the Stony Brook administration said something … that was a special moment.”
“When we fall behind, we are really good at having a quick answer, and we did that again today,” Pollard said. “That’s what good teams do.”
