Virginia took control with a big defensive third quarter, on its way to a 67-56 win over Miami on Thursday in JPJ.
UVA (16-7, 8-4 ACC, NET: 38) held Miami (12-11, 4-8 ACC, NET: 51) to 4-of-14 shooting and forced six ‘Canes turnovers in the third quarter, to turn a one-point halftime deficit into a 47-38 lead at the end of three.
Miami didn’t get closer than eight the rest of the way.
Kymora Johnson had 18 points (5-of-13 FG, 4-of-8 3FG, 4-of-6 FT), six rebounds and five assists in the win, and in the process, she hit her 71st three-pointer of the season, setting a new program single-season record.
Johnson also passed the 500-assist mark for her career – now at 502 career assists, she is the sixth player in program history to pass the 500 mark.
Honoring Debbie Ryan
Finally, folks are saying, UVA Athletics is honoring Debbie Ryan with a banner to be raised above the court at JPJ on Sunday at halftime of the game with Notre Dame.
Ryan was 739-324 in 34 seasons at Virginia, with three Final Four appearances, three ACC Tournament titles, 11 ACC regular-season championships and 24 NCAA tournament appearances.
Why did it take this long to honor Ryan? Er, let’s say there were hurt feelings over how she was pushed out the door after the 2011 season, after a 19-16 finish that ended in the WNIT quarterfinals.
Ryan’s previous three teams each had won 20-plus games and gotten NCAA Tournament berths, but there was a feeling among some that maybe the game was passing her by.
Remember that?
Her last Sweet 16 team was her 1999-2000 squad that finished with a 25-9 record.
As the game was supposedly passing her by, she still led her program to seven NCAA tourney appearances in the next 11 years.
Did I mention that she was also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2000, as all of this was going on?
Anyway, Debbie in decline, only seven NCAA bids in her last 11 years, as she was battling pancreatic cancer.
Since we got rid of Debbie: one NCAA Tournament bid, and a cumulative 223-215 record.
It’s past time.
NCAA Tournament resume
Quad 1 record: 0-4
Quad 2 record: 2-2
Quad 3-4: 14-1 (loss to UMBC, which is 10-11, NET: 205).
Key
Quad 1: Home (1-25), Neutral (1-35), Away (1-45)
Quad 2: Home (26-55), Neutral (36-65), Away (46-80)
Metrics
Topline
- NET: 38
- ELO: 69
- RPI: 77
Result-based
- HHS: 40
- WAB: 60
- KPI: 67
Predictive
- Moore: 37
- Torvik: 40
Average: 53.5
NCAA Tournament seed projection: First Four Out
Key upcoming games
- Quad 1/2: Notre Dame (15-8, 7-5 ACC, NET: 30), Feb. 8
- Quad 1/2: @Cal (14-10, 5-6 ACC, NET: 52), Feb. 12
- Quad 1: @Stanford (16-8, 5-6 ACC, NET: 37), Feb. 15
- Quad 1: @Louisville (21-4, 11-1 ACC, NET: 7), Feb. 22
- Quad 1: North Carolina (19-5, 8-3 ACC, NET: 21), Feb. 26
- Quad 2: Virginia Tech (18-6, 8-4 ACC, NET: 43), March 1
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Chris Graham
