The Virginia women’s basketball team fell 58-52 at Miami. Kelsey Wolfe (Jr., Germantown, Md.) scored a game-high 18 points. Telia McCall (Sr., Marietta,Ga.) had her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
A 9-0 Miami run in the second half put the Hurricanes up by 14, 43-29, with 14 minutes left in the game. The Cavaliers answered with a 16-2 run, taking a 46-45 lead on a three-pointer from Ataira Franklin (Jr., Bowie, Md.) with 9:44 left in the game.
With Miami leading 56-52 with 41 seconds left on the clock, the Hurricanes went 2-for-6 from the free throw line in the final minute of play, but the Cavaliers couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity. Virginia had a pair of three-pointers clank off the rim with Miami holding on for the victory.
The Cavaliers started the game in a 7-2 hole but took a 10-9 lead when Wolfe converted an and-one opportunity after driving to the hoop and getting fouled, followed by a flat-footed jump shot from McCall. After Miami took a 17-13 lead, McCall hit a jumper at the free throw line to make it 17-15. On the opposite end, McCall was one of three Cavalier defenders creating a ball trap that caused Miami’s guard to be called for a travel. McCall again ended up with the ball in her hands, pulling up for a jumper that tied the game, 17-17, with nine minutes left in the half.
After Miami took another four-point lead, 25-21, the Cavaliers used a put-back by Sarah Imovbioh (So., Abuja, Nigeria) followed by a pull-up jumper from China Crosby (Sr., New York, N.Y.) to tie the game, 25-25, with 3:29 left in the half.
The Cavaliers went 0-for-5 in the remainder of the first half, with three turnovers. Miami also struggled, making one shot on three attempts with a turnover, but the Hurricanes scored four points to go into the break with a 29-25 lead.
Miami went on a 12-0 run early in the second half with back-to-back three-pointers, including a deepthree-ball from Stefanie Yderstrom, to go up 43-29. Wolfe snapped the scoring streak, draining the Cavaliers’ first three-pointer of the game. The basket was the first of 13 straight points for the Cavaliers, including fast-break transition baskets from Crosby and McCall to pull within a point, 43-42.
Miami stopped the run, making a layup to go up 46-42. Franklin completed the Cavalier comeback, draining a three-pointer from the right wing to give Virginia a 46-45 lead.
After a foul was calledduring a rebounding scrum, Miami retook the lead at the free throw line. Yderstrom made her third three-pointer of the game with 5:33 remaining, giving the Canes a 50-46 lead. After two scoreless minutes for both teams, Miami added to the lead with a layup with 3:20 left in the game to go up 52-46.
The Cavaliers trailed by six, 54-48, going into the final minute. Yderstrom scored a transition jumper, her 17th points of the game, with 53 seconds left to extend the lead. Crosby drew a foul call while driving toward the hoop, making both free throws. The Cavaliers applied full-court pressure on the ensuing inbound play, with Wolfe stealing the ball and laying it in to make it 56-52 with 41 seconds remaining.
Miami made two free throws in six attempts in the final minute of the game, but the Cavaliers couldn’t capitalize with a pair of Franklin three-point attempts clanking off the rim.
“The kids had a lot of fight in them,” said head coach Joanne Boyle. “I can’t ask any more of their effort. They did a great job with the comeback. We changed our defense. We did exactly what we needed to do, getting tips and steals, we got people in traps, theyturned the ball over. For us, it is really about execution in the last fiveminutes of the game. We have to get that piece.”
With the loss, the Cavaliers fall to 9-5 on the season and 1-2 in the ACC. Miami improves to 12-2 and 3-0 in the ACC. It was the 18th straight ACC victory for Miami at the BankUnited Center. Miami has a 51-1 home record since the final regular-season game of 2009-10.
Wolfe led all players with 18 points, going 6-for-13 from the field. Wolfe had five rebounds, three assists, and six steals.
McCall had her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Crosby scored seven points with four assists, a steal, and a rebound. Franklin had nine points with two rebounds and four assists.
After returning from Miami, Virginia will head back on the road, taking on Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Thursday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. in a game that will be streamed live online on ESPN3. The Cavaliers will be back at home on Sunday, Jan. 13, hosting NC State.
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