We didn’t seem to have any media out in Iowa City for the Virginia-Arizona State First Four game in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament, just based on the postgame questions, which were all about how Arizona State had to play through adversity with its coach not originally traveling with the team for the game due to illness.
All due respect, Virginia has had some adversity on its side.
The 57-55 win on Thursday night was the first in an NCAA Tournament for the UVA program since 2018, and just the second since the forced exit of the legendary Debbie Ryan in 2011.
There was the early-season hiccup at home, a Quad 4 loss to UMBC.
The injuries that limited LSU transfer Sa’Myah Smith, who also lost her mother and a family member during the season, to 19 games.
Molly Miller, the ASU coach, ended up making it to Iowa City, by the way.
Even so, this was the first question for the UVA side postgame:
“Just, from what you know about Arizona State and Molly Miller being sick for a few days and just what they had to go through, what did you see from this team today?”
Virginia coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton was having none of it.
“What they had to go through? I’m sorry, can you elaborate on that?”
When the moderator threw the question to the UVA players, point guard Kymora Johnson was similarly frustrated.
“The other team?” was her first response to the query.
Virginia (20-11) led for 37:28, but it was a tight, defensive battle from the tip.
The ’Hoos led 30-22 at the break, holding Arizona State (24-11) to 27.6 percent shooting, and forcing seven first-half turnovers.
An 11-3 ASU run tied the game at 51 on a Marley Washenitz three with 41 seconds to go.
Johnson, who finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, broke the tie with a three with 30 ticks on the clock that put UVA ahead, 54-51.
A Heloisa Carrera layup got it back to one with 14 seconds left; Caitlin Weimar hit both ends of a free-throw trip to put Virginia back up three, before a Jyah Lovett layup made it 56-55 ’Hoos with five seconds on the clock.
Johnson went 1-of-2 at the line to leave the door ajar, but the Virginia defense prevented Arizona State from getting a shot off in its final possession to preserve the W.
“Really proud of our players. That was a gutsy performance. We had to ground that one out,” Agugua-Hamilton said afterward. “Arizona State, they’re a very physical defensive team. That’s what they’re known for. They make it hard for you to run anything. They really make it hard for 40 minutes. I was just proud of our players, just kind of weather the storm through some of the adversity we hit in the game, but we were so urgent at the end, and we just stayed together and really were on one accord.”
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Chris Graham
