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March 17, 2000
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Renee Robinson scored her first nine pointsduring a 14-4 run midway through the second half Friday night and No. 19Virginia beat Pepperdine 74-62 in the first round of the women’s NCAA MideastRegional.
Virginia (24-8), making its 17th consecutive appearance in the tournament,got help from its crowd during the game-changing burst. The Cavaliers are hostto the first round for the 13th time in 15 years, but the first time in threeyears.
Pepperdine (21-10) was making its first appearance in the NCAA tournament inthe 25-year history of the program and played like it had nothing to lose,refusing to yield even after the Cavaliers took a 51-44 lead with 12:08 toplay.
With 5-foot-10 guard Damaris Hinojosa taking advantage of the Cavaliers’smaller backcourt, the Waves closed to 53-50 on an inside basket by NadjaMorgan with 7:38 remaining. But Virginia’s depth eventually proved too much.
Telisha Quarles hit a 3-pointer from the right corner and scored on adriving layup that banked high off the glass 43 seconds later to make it 58-50with 6:37 left. Schuye LaRue then scored off a feed from Svetlana Volnaya and,after Morgan hit two free throws, LaRue converted a three-point play with 5:03to go.
Lisa Hosac made both ends of a one-and-one 44 seconds later, pushing thelead to 65-52, and the Waves got no closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Quarles led Virginia with 18 points, Volnaya had 16. LaRue, also scorelessin the first half, and Robinson each finished with 11.
Hinojosa paced the Waves with 17 points and Morgan and Rasheeda Clark had 13apiece.
The Cavaliers will play No. 17 Boston College, a 93-76 winner againstNebraska, in the second round Sunday night.