CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – This time, there was no second-half collapse. After losing seven straight games, including two contests where it led by double figures, the Virginia women’s basketball team (15-11, 4-11 ACC) defeated No. 22 NC State (17-8, 7-7 ACC) by a 71-59 score at John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday (Feb. 12).
The Cavaliers relied on late-game free throw shooting to hold off a Wolfpack comeback effort. The victory was the first by a Virginia team against a ranked opponent since downing Florida State in 2017.
Senior guard Taylor Valladay led the way for UVA with a season-high 22 points and season-best eight rebounds to go along with seven assists. She converted 8-of-10 free throws during the final four minutes of the contest when NC State started to deliberately foul in hopes of making a comeback while trailing by double figures. As a team, UVA converted on 13-of-16 at the charity stripe in the final four minutes.
NC State was led by senior forward Jada Boyd’s season-high 22 points. The Wolfpack’s leading scorer, Diamond Johnson, scored just five points on a 1-for-12 shooting effort that included missing all eight three-point attempts versus a Cavalier defense that played zone the entire game due to its shortened roster.
The Cavaliers’ win, the first for the team since downing Boston College on Jan. 15, avenged an 87-62 loss at NC State on Jan. 8, the most lopsided defeat of the year for Virginia. It snapped a six-game winning streak the Wolfpack had against the Cavaliers. UVA last downed NC State during the 2017-18 season. The all-time series between the teams is tied at 41-41.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams found success early attacking the basket from the paint. Camryn Taylor scored UVA’s first three baskets and when Valladay drove the lane at 3:44 of the opening period to give the Hoos an 8-7 lead. Back-to-back drives down the lane by Alexia Smith and Valladay built the UVA advantage to 12-7. The Wolfpack’s Jada Boyd then converted a three-point play and put-back offensive rebound for a score in the quarter’s final minute to end the opening period tied at 10-10.
Kaydan Lawson’s three-point shot early in the second quarter put the Hoos up 15-12 and they never trailed again. Smith sparked the team with four points in the quarter, including a pull-up jumper with 10 seconds left to give UVA a 28-24 halftime advantage.
The first-half shooting numbers set the theme for the game. NC State struggled against the Cavaliers’…