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MILWAUKEE No. 15 Virginia concluded play at the WBCA Classic at the Al McGuire Center Sunday, falling to tournament champion Gonzaga, 69-62. Monica Wright led the Cavaliers with 26 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Wright was named to the all-tournament team, while Virginia was the tournament runner-up.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair with seven ties and nine lead changes. Virginia (5-2) led by as many four points, taking a 25-21 lead on a fast break lay up by Wright with 7:41 left. Gonzaga (7-1) battled back and tied the score at 29-29 on a free throw by Heather Bowman with 2:33 left in the half. From there, the Zags ended the half on a 7-2 run to take a 36-31 halftime lead.
Virginia started the second half strong and erased the deficit with 15:07 left on a Wright jumper that tied the score at 42-42. Gonzaga created some separation midway through the period, taking a 55-48 lead on a lay-up by Kelly Bowen with 8:45 left.
Facing a late deficit for the second time in as many games, the Cavaliers could not mount a comeback and fell by a final score of 69-62. Virginia finished the tournament with a 2-1 record.
Also scoring in double figures for Virginia was Aisha Mohammed, who registered a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Whitny Edwards (six points), Ariana Moorer (five points) and Chelsea Shine (five points) rounded out the Cavalier offense.
Up next for Virginia is a road contest at Illinois on Dec. 4 at 8:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network and is part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
All-Tournament Team
Vivian Frieson, Gonzaga
Heather Bowman, Gonzaga – Tournament MVP
Monica Wright, Virginia
Krystal Ellis, Marquette
Kalee Whipple, Utah