#7 Duke drops UVa. women, 77-66
Virginia lost its Atlantic Coast Conference opener on the road Monday night, falling 77-66 at seventh-ranked Duke. Sophomore guard Ataira Franklin (Bowie, Md.) led the Cavaliers with 19 points and 12 rebounds – her third-career double-double.
The loss snapped a seven-game Cavalier winning streak and dropped their record to 12-3 overall (0-1 ACC). Duke improved to 10-2 overall and 1-0 in league play.
Franklin finished 7-for-11 from the field and connected on three 3-pointers. Her 12 rebounds were a career-high.
Senior guard Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) added 18 points for UVa – her 13th-consecutive game of at least 10 points. Moorer also tied the school record for free throw percentage in a game – making 10-of-10 attempts. Read more
UVa. women down UMass, win Cav Classic
The Virginia women’s basketball team won its eighth-consecutive Marriott Cavalier Classic title with a 53-38 victory over Massachusetts on Thursday (Dec. 29). Senior guard Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) was named the tournament’s most valuable player and was joined on the all-tournament team by sophomore guard Ataira Franklin (Bowie, Md.).
Virginia capped off an undefeated month of December (7-0) and improved to 9-0 at home this season. Overall, the Cavaliers are 12-2 asthey head into Atlantic Coast Conference play (Jan. 2 at Duke).
With the loss, UMass’ record dropped to 5-9. Read more
UVa. women blow past Wagner
Senior guard Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) paced the Virginia offense with 23 points and the Cavaliers’ defense did the rest as UVa stifled Wagner, 84-41, in its first game of the Marriott Cavalier Classic on Wednesday at John Paul Jones Arena.
The Cavaliers improved to 11-2 overall, continuing their best start since the 2008-09 squad opened with a 14-2 record. UVa also remained undefeated at home (8-0) and held an eighth-consecutive opponent to less than 60 points.
With 26 steals, Virginia tied the school record for steals in a game (Dec. 4, 1990 vs. Old Dominion).
Wagner is now 2-10 on the season.
UVa will face UMass in the championship game of t Read more
UVa. women rally, knock off JMU
The Virginia women’s basketball team rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat visiting James Madison, 59-53, Tuesday (Dec. 20) at John Paul Jones Arena. Sophomore guard Ataira Franklin (Bowie, Md.) finished with a career-high22 points to lead the Cavaliers.
With the win, Virginia improved to 10-2 overall and 7-0 at home this season. The victory also snapped a two-game JMU win streak in the series as the Cavaliers avenged two-point losses in 2009 and 2010.
James Madison’s record went to 7-2 overall with the loss.
For just the third time this season, Virginia trailed at halftime. The Dukes got off to a fast start, scoring the game’s first seven points which prompted a timeout by Virginia head coach Joanne Boyle. Read more
UVa. women roll over Radford
Virginia won its fourth consecutive contest and remained undefeated at home this season with a 92-43 victory over Radford at John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday (Dec. 18).
The victory improved Virginia’s record to 9-2, the program’s best start since beginning the 2008-09 season with a 14-2 record.
With the loss, Radford’s record went to 6-4.
Junior reserve guard Lexie Gerson (Fort Washington, Pa.) matched a career-high with 19 points to lead five Cavaliers in double figures. Gerson finished the game 6-for-8 from the field, including 4-of-6 from behind the three-point line, and added four assists and four steals. Read more
UVa. women upset #3 Tennessee
Virginia senior forward Chelsea Shine scored 18 points, including a key basket in overtime, and Virginia stunned turnover-prone No. 3 Tennessee, 69-64, on Sunday (Nov. 20).
The Cavaliers (4-0) came into the game allowing just over 42 points a game under first-year coach Joanne Boyle, and dictated the pace against a Lady Vols team averaging 90.5 points.
Taber Spani led the Lady Vols (2-1) with 22 points, including a 3-pointer 59 seconds into overtime that gave Tennessee a 61-58 lead, but the Cavaliers scored the next 11 points, the crowd at John Paul Jones Arena getting more excited with each basket.
China Crosby had 13 points and Ataira Franklin 12 for Virginia, which beat Tennessee for just the third time in 16 games. Lexie Gerson and Ariana Moorer each scored 10.
Shekinna Stricklen had 16 and Glory Johnson 15 for the Lady Vols.
In the overtime, after Spani’s 3-pointer, Moorer hit a pair of free throws, and then a foul-line jumper, one of only three baskets she made in 16 tries. Shine followed a turnover the Tennessee with a short baseline jumper, and Crosby hit 3 of 4 free throws to make it 67-61.
The Lady Vols never had an answer, and each time they failed to score and Virginia came away with the ball, the crowd of 6,450 at John Paul Jones Arena got louder and more excited.
Stricklen had a chance to give the Lady Vols the lead near the end of regulation when she was fouled while scoring, but she missed the free throw, one of 10 misses in 21 tries for Tennessee. The Lady Vols also had 24 turnovers that the Cavaliers turned into 27 points.
Crosby broke a 56-all tie with 36.6 seconds to go in regulation, hitting a desperate shot from the baseline with the shot clock running down. After a timeout, Spani calmly swished a 12-footer from the left baseline with 22.8 seconds to go, pulling Tennessee even again.
Moorer’s last chance drive in regulation was cleanly blocked just before the buzzer.
The Cavaliers tightened their defense and Tennesseecontinued to be sloppy early in the second half as Virginia opened the half on a 14-6 run. The Cavaliers led by as many as nine and by 47-40 when the Lady Vols began asserting themselves on the offensive glass and rallied.
Tennessee scored eight straight points, taking its first lead since the first half, but Shine scored inside and Crosby’s three-point play boosted the Cavaliers’ edge back to 52-48.
The Lady Vols pulled even three times, but only led once thereafter.
It was the first road game for Tennessee since coach Pat Summitt announced in the offseason that she has been diagnosed with early onset dementia. She received a warm welcome when she came out onto the floor just before the game.
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