Despite a 23-point performance from Ataira Franklin (Jr., Odenton, Md.), the Virginia women’s basketball team fell 80-59 at NC State, the fifth-straight loss for the Cavaliers.
“Franklin is really carrying us, especially on the offensive end,” said Virginia head coach Joanne Boyle. “We have to get her some help. We need to stay together. We need more people tostep up and help her. We need to get an inside-outside game. I have to get some post play going here. We just have to fight for everything. No one is going to give us anything.”
Simone Egwu (Sr., Odenton, Md.) scored the first basket of the game, making a layup 21 seconds into the contest after which NC State went on a 10-0 run, highlighted by a pair of three-pointers from Marissa Kastanek. The Wolfpack would make five of their first seven three-point attempts to jump out to a 31-20 lead.
The Cavaliers narrowed the gap to seven, 37-30, on a jumper by Franklin, her 12th points of the half, but NC State immediately answered on the opposite end with a put-back after a missed layup with 2:08 left in the period.
Sarah Imovbioh (So., Abjua, Nigeria) got fouled while making a layup with 55 seconds left in the first half, converting the free throw to again cut the lead to single digits, 41-33, but the Cavaliers couldn’t get a defensive stop with Kody Burke scoring her 12th points of the half on a layup, sending the Wolfpack into the break with a 43-33 lead.
Franklin scored Virginia’s first six points of the second half, narrowing the gap to six, 45-39. After the two teams traded baskets, Jaryn Garner (Fr., Sewell, N.J.) grabbed a steal,getting the ball out ahead to China Crosby (Sr., New York, N.Y.) who scored the transition layup to make it 47-43. Kastanek hit a three-pointer, the beginning of 13-straight points for the Wolfpack that built the lead to 60-43. Imovbioh stopped the run with a layup with 10:44 left in the half.
The Cavaliers narrowed the gap to 66-54 on a pair of free throws from Crosby, but NC State answered with an 11-2 run to go up 77-56 with three minutes left in the game.
With the win, the Wolfpack improved to 14-15 (6-11 ACC) while the Cavaliers fell to 15-13 (7-10 ACC).
NC State went 9-of-18 from three-point range while Virginia made one of its 18 three-point attempts.
Franklin finished the game with 23 points, matching her season high. It was the third time in the lastfour games that Franklin scored 20 points in a contest. Franklin was 8-of-15 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Franklin also had threerebounds, two blocks, and two steals and hit Virginia’s lone three-pointer.
Imovbioh scored nine points with nine rebounds, including eight O-boards. Crosby scored six points withfour assists, three steals, and two rebounds.
Telia McCall (Sr., Marietta, Ga.) returned to action after missing the last two games, scoring 12 pointswith four rebounds. Ten of her points were scored in the first half.
Virginia closes out the regular season by hosting No. 24 Florida State on Sunday, March 3 at 1 p.m. The Florida State game will be broadcast on the ACC Regional Networks and will be “Senior Night” with a special pregame ceremony honoring the Cavaliers’ graduating seniors.
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