CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (5-2) utilized an 8-2 run in overtime to defeat Missouri (5-3), 87-81, at John Paul Jones Arena Thursday night (Nov. 30). The Cavaliers, who trailed 28-13 with 9:30 in the second quarter, overcame a 15-point deficit for the second time this season having also done so against Tulane (Nov. 24) last weekend.
Camryn Taylor finished with a game-high 26 points, one shy of her career high, on 10-of-19 shooting and finished 6-for-7 at the charity stripe. Taylor nearly grasped a double-double with nine rebounds, including four offensive boards. London Clarkson (17 pts, 5-6 FG, 7-8 FT, 7 reb), Paris Clark (14 pts, 4 reb), and Alexia Smith (10 pts, 5-10 FG, 13 reb) also scored in double figures. Smith’s double-double was the first of her career.
In the third period, UVA outscored the Tigers 27-13 and out-rebounded them, 12-4. Taylor scored nine of her 26 total points the quarter No. 3.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia led 11-10 midway through the first when the Tigers exploded for 10 straight points to grasp a 20-11 lead. A layup by Taylor broke up the run, but Mizzou closed out the period with a pair of unanswered 3-pointers to lead it, 26-13. The Tigers shot 57 percent from the field in the opening stanza, while Hoos shot 23 percent. From distance, UVA only made one of its 10 attempts.
Mizzou grabbed its largest lead of the contest on the first made basket of the second quarter. Later on UVA trailed 36-22, but closed the half with six straight points to trail by eight, 36-28, at the break.
After a Mizzou made layup to kick off the second half, the Cavaliers scored 11 straight points secure their first lead of the game, 39-38, at the 7:21 mark in the third quarter. UVA’s scoring spree was capped by back-to-back layups from Smith in transition. Made layups by Taylor and Kymora Johnson (9 pts, 7 ast) later in the period gave the Hoos their largest lead of the game, 53-45, with 2:12 to go. UVA finished the third 10-for-22 from the field, while Mizzou only managed five makes on 10 attempts.
Virginia led 55-49 entering the fourth. Mizzou’s Grace Slaughter drained two 3-pointers and layup down the stretch to cut the UVA lead to one, 72-73, with 36 seconds remaining. With the shot clock winding down, Johnson got by her defender and finished a layup with seven seconds left in regulation to give the Hoos a 75-72 lead. On the ensuing Tiger possession, Haley Frank drew a foul on a 3-point shot, which sent her to the line with 4.9…