With Johnson at the helm, the stage is set for a program-defining collision. The Cavaliers have spent over three years building toward this moment. If they follow the same heartbeat that led them here, it could push the program to historical heights.
By advancing to the second round, Virginia recorded multiple NCAA Tournament wins for the first time since 2000.
“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.”
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.
“Everybody wants to compete for national championships and being in that field is just a blessing,” Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton said. “I'm just really happy for our players that we were able to do enough to get there.”
Three beat writers discuss Virginia’s regular-season and postseason outlook, as the Cavaliers await the selection committee’s decision on Selection Sunday, March 15.
Sunday belonged to junior Mira Berglund, whose masterclass propelled Virginia to the finish line.
“It's just … a full-circle moment, which is nice because last year was very unpredictable with what basketball was going to be for me,” Weimar said.
Virginia lost to the Hokies because this is who they have been all year long — a team that fights back, but cannot sustain control when the lights shine the brightest.
