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CHARLOTTESVILLE The 15th-ranked Virginia women’s basketball team rallied in the closing minutes to defeat Georgia, 62-60, Friday night at John Paul Jones Arena. Monica Wright and Lyndra Littles led the Cavaliers with 24 and 23 points, respectively, and UVa won its seventh-straight game.
“The game was exactly the way I thought it would be,” Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan said. “Georgia is very physical and very aggressive. They ramped up the intensity the entire game. It’s gratifying to know we can take on an opponent like that and come out with a win.”
Virginia remained unbeaten at home this season (8-0) and improved to 12-2 overall. Georgia, meanwhile, went to 9-5 on the year.
Littles finished 8-for-15 from the field and converted a crucial three-point play in the final minute of the game to lead the Cavaliers. Wright, meanwhile, added five rebounds and three assists to her game-high 24 points.
Virginia jumped out to an early 9-2 lead on two free throws by Wright with 16:03 left. Georgia battled back to tie the score at 19-19 on a 3-pointer by Jessica Rhoden with 6:53 left in the half. The teams tied the score two more times before the half was over, but the Lady Bulldogs took a slim 28-26 lead into the locker room.
On the opening possession of the second half, Porsha Phillips knocked down a jump-shot to give Georgia a four-point lead, 30-26, but Wright nailed a 3-pointer on the other end to pull the Cavaliers’ within one point.
The Lady Bulldogs extended their lead to as many as five points later in the half and held their lead into the closing minutes, but Virginia tied the score, 54-54, with 4:05 left in the game on a 3-pointer by Littles from the left wing.
Porsha Phillips hit a jumpshot in the lane for Georgia with 1:09 left in the game to put the Lady Bulldogs up, 58-57. On the next possession, Littles converted a three-point play with 50.6 seconds left to give Virginia a 60-58 lead.
The Lady Bulldogs’ Angela Puleo attempted a 3-pointer from the corner with 31 seconds left and Enong Stovall grabbed an offensive rebound off of a Britnee Millner missed free throw on the ensuing possession to seal the victory for Virginia. Stovall then drained two free throws with 22 seconds left.
Stovall finished with five rebounds, two steals, two assists and two points. Millner added six points and four assists, while Ariana Moorer contributed seven points and three boards.
Ashley Houts had 19 points to lead Georgia, while Phillips added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Up next, Virginia hosts St. Francis (Pa.) in a non-conference tilt on Monday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m., before beginning ACC play on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 2 p.m. vs. Wake Forest.