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CHARLOTTESVILLE No. 15 Virginia, led by Monica Wright with 28 points and five steals, defeated Monmouth 73-45 Thursday night at John Paul Jones Arena. Lyndra Littles returned to the lineup and poured in 17 points in her 2008-09 debut.
“I was really excited to get back on the court,” head coach Debbie Ryan said, referring to the team’s two-week break for final exams. “I was hoping that we wouldn’t have too much rust, and I think we came out with good timing.”
Wright scored at least 20 points for the fifth-straight game, while first-year Chelsea Shine scored 14 points, hauled down seven rebounds and blocked four shots in her first-career start. Littles, who missed games during the fall semester for academic reasons, saw the first action of her senior season and was 8-for-14 from the field with three steals and a block to go along with 17 points.
Virginia (8-2) never trailed in the first half, and held a 9-6 lead at the 14:14 mark, when Littles checked in for the first time. She hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key at 13:15, giving the Cavaliers’ a 14-6 lead and her first points of the 2008-09 season.
Virginia extended its lead throughout the first half, and with the help of 19 first-period points from Wright and 11 from Littles. The Cavaliers led 41-21 at halftime.
In the second half it was more of the same, as UVa’s lead eventually ballooned to as many as 32 points with 15:29 left.
Britnee Millner added eight points for the Cavaliers, who won their third-straight game.
Monmouth (4-6) was led by Jennifer Bender with 16 points and Marisa Jimenez with 11 points.
Up next for Virginia is a Sunday, Dec. 21 contest against Mount St. Mary’s. Tip-off from John Paul Jones Arena is 1 p.m.