Coach Mox offers ‘thank you to Wahoo Nation’ for support that fueled upset of UNC

A season-high 5,690 fans were on hand for Virginia’s game with #20 North Carolina on Sunday at JPJ, and the energy in the building factored into the Cavaliers’ 81-66 win, UVA coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton said after the game.

“I just want to say thank you to Wahoo Nation. That was amazing. It was electric in there. There was butts in  seats everywhere. We really fed off of that. It allowed us to be confident in ourselves, and that’s why we were banking in shots. Because when you’re confident, you get those kinds of things. I’m just really proud that we did that in front of the fans, protected our home court, showed pride, played with pride in front of our alums.”

That was the other part of the day for the ‘Hoos, who had lost six straight to start ACC play, but have two wins in their last three – both over ranked teams.

Several UVA hoops alums on were on hand on Sunday, including Hall of Fame coach Debbie Ryan.

The alums met with the current team on Saturday, Coach Mox said, making the weekend “really powerful.”

“We got to do an event with our alumni at night. During the day, they came to practice and really poured into our young women and student athletes, and they just shared their stories, shared their times they went through adversity, how they were successful and things they learned. It was just right on time,” Mox said.

The energy in the crowd fueled a first-half comeback from an early 13-point deficit that sent the teams into the locker room with Virginia up, 37-34.

It was a two-point UVA game early in the fourth when grad forward Sam Brunelle banked a three from the right wing.

The three seemed to energize the Cavaliers, who extended the lead on another three, a contested jumper from Paris Clark, then got an offensive rebound-kickout three from Brunelle that got the lead to nine.

Those three threes were the biggest part of a 12-2 run that put Virginia up 11.

UNC briefly got the lead down to eight, before the ‘Hoos closed on a 7-0 run in the final 3:29.

It got loud in there down the stretch as all of this was going on.

The noise played a role.

“You are listening to people that are hanging in the rafters, and it was very impactful and powerful and left us very encouraged. I want to thank our alums for all the love and support they’ve been given us,” Mox said.