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Cavaliers Snap Losing Streak with 61-50 Win at BC
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Box Score Feb. 14, 2016
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The Virginia women’s basketball team had the upper hand on a record cold Valentine’s Day in Boston to snap its six-game losing streak by downing Boston College 61-50 at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill. The win improved the Cavaliers to 14-12 on the season and 4-9 in ACC play. The loss was BC’s seventh straight and dropped the Eagles to 13-12 overall and just 1-11 in the ACC.
The Cavaliers were led by the scoring combination of Mikayla Venson (Arlington, Va.) and Lauren Moses (Mount Holly, N.J.). Venson posted a game-high 19 points including three-of-four shooting from three-point range. Moses recorded an impressive double-double, scoring 11 points to go along with a career-high 15 rebounds.
Aliyah Huland El (Randolph, N.J.) also reached double figures in scoring for UVA, finishing with 13 points. Her total included a seven-point first quarter that saw UVA take a 19-12 lead that it never relinquished despite a late rally from Boston College.
“It feels good,” said Virginia coach Joanne Boyle “It has been a long time coming. I am really proud of the team. They played really strong for three quarters. In the fourth I thought we just rushed some shots and weren’t moving the ball as well, then they came down and hit some big shots to close that lead. We outrebounded them for three quarters then Mikayla (Venson) hit a three so we got back in a rhythm.
Virginia entered the final quarter with an 18-point lead (50-32) but the Eagles scored 11 unanswered points to close within 50-43 before Huland El converted a basket with 5:19 remaining to play. A three-point basket by BC’s Kelly Hughes cut UVA’s lead to six points but the Eagles could never get closer as Venson responded with her own long-range jumper to put the Cavaliers ahead 52-43.
Virginia took advantage of seven Eagle turnovers in the first quarter to jump out to an early lead. The game was tied at 6-6 before Boston College senior guard Nicole Boudreau picked up her second foul with four minutes to play in the period. With her on the bench, UVA went on a 13 to six run.
Venson provided the bulk of UVA’s scoring punch in the second quarter, scoring 11 points including a pair of three-pointers as the Cavaliers cruised to a 37-24 halftime lead.
“I thought the kids did a great job of executing the game plan on the defensive end,” Boyle said. “They took things away from them and didn’t allow them to get the easy looks they normally get. We just pressured up on them and were able to turn them over then we pressed a little to get them to play faster and I thought that helped us as well.”
The game marked the return of Virginia senior guard Faith Randolph (Derwood, Md.), who missed nine games after breaking her hand against Notre Dame on Jan. 7. During that time Virginia managed to win just two of nine games and averaged just 53.4 points per game during that stretch, scoring more than 60 just once.
Randolph played 36 minutes, scoring four points on two-of-12 shooting and finishing with four assists. She also pulled down five rebounds.
“She didn’t shoot the ball well and got stagnant there for a minute but was always able to lock down on someone,” Boyle said of Randolph’s return. “The rebounds helped start our transitions for Mikayla, Breyana (Mason) and Aliyah (Huland El). I think Aliyah just plays so well off of her and she did a great job of that tonight.”
Behind Moses’ play, the Cavaliers managed to outrebound Boston College by a 40-33 margin. It marked just the second time this year UVA bettered an ACC opponent on the boards.
The win improved UVA’s all-time record to 14-5 against the Eagles. Boston College was led by center Mariella Fasoula who had 14 point and five rebounds. Fasoula picked up eight of her points in the first quarter.
Virginia plays at No. 12 Louisville on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. The Cavaliers will return home to host Clemson on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 1 p.m.
Single-game ticket prices for all home games are $10 for Reserved seating, $8 for adult General Admission and $6 for youth (18 & under), senior (60 & over) and UVA faculty/staff General Admission. Fans may purchase home game tickets through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office online at VirginiaSports.com, by phone and in person. The Virginia Athletics Ticket Office is located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).