Virginia Tops Boston College in Overtime, 79-77

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (9-14, 3-7 ACC) picked up a 79-77 overtime victory over Boston College (14-9, 3-7 ACC) on Thursday (February 7) at John Paul Jones Arena.
 
Junior guard Jocelyn Willoughby (East Orange, N.J.) had a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard Dominique Toussaint (Staten Island, N.Y.) scored 17 points with five assists. Makayla Dickens led Boston College with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Virginia shot 40.0 percent (28-of-70) while Boston College shot 50.0 percent (29-of-58), including going 13-of-26 from three-point range. Virginia held a 37-36 edge in rebounding.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cavaliers broke open a close game in the second quarter, finishing the period on a 12-2 run to take a 37-24 lead into the halftime break. The Eagles went 3-of-3 from the field to start the second half, mounting an 10-0 run to narrow the gap to 37-34, but a jumper from Jocelyn Willoughby ended the run. Back-to-back three-pointers from Makayala Dickens and Marnelle Garraud erased the remainder of the Cavaliers’ advantage and put the Eagles ahead by one. Willoughby hit another jumper to temporarily put UVA back in the lead. The game was knotted at 52 heading into the fourth quarter and 59-59 with 4:45 remaining in the game. BC edged out to a 62-60 lead with a minute remaining. Senior Moné Jones (Durham, N.C.) grabbed a critical steal, but the Cavaliers turned the ball back over on the opposite end, giving possession back to the Eagles with 32.6 seconds remaining. Toussaint then stole the ball and was fouled on her fastbreak attempt. She hit both free throws to tie the game with 17.2 seconds remaining. The Eagles did not get off a final shot as the Cavalier defense forced a turnover with 0.1 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
 
In the extra period, Toussaint hit a three-pointer with 3:33 remaining to put the Cavaliers up 68-64. Willoughby battled for a pair of offensive rebounds and then fought to score a layup that gave UVA a 72-68 advantage, but a three from Dickens made it a one-point game. UVA had the ball with 58.2 seconds remaining. Toussaint drew foul, making a pair of free throws to put UVA up 74-71 with 37.8 seconds remaining. Boston College hit a pair of three pointers in the final 24 seconds, including one at the buzzer to end the game, but the Cavaliers held on for the 79-77 victory.

NOTES

• This was the Cavaliers’ first overtime since an 82-72 win over Indiana on Dec. 18, 2017
• The Cavaliers had two players reach double figures in scoring in the first half: Moné Jones (12) and Jocelyn Willoughby (10)
• Jocelyn Willoughby’s 26 points was a career high. She had scored 25 points three times, including twice this season
• This was Willoughby’s fifth double-double of the year and her second in the last three games
• This was the third-straight game in which Willoughby led the team in scoring and her second 20-point game in her last three contests
• Jones scored 10 points in the first eight minutes of the game
• Jones was 6-of-7 from the field to start the game
• Jones matched her previous career high in scoring with her 12 points in the first half. She had previously scored 12 points against Florida State (1/3/19). Her 16 points is a new career high
• Dominique Toussaint was 4-of-9 from the field and 8-of-11 from the free throw line
• Toussaint scored seven points in the fourth quarter and six in overtime
• Virginia scored 23 second-chance points on 16 offensive rebounds. BC only scored two second-chance points
• BC outscored Virginia 28-15 in the third quarter
• Virginia finished the fourth quarter missing its last six shots. UVA did not score a field goal in the final 6:30 of regulation. BC did not make a field goal in the final 3:23
• After scoring a combined 20 points in the fourth quarter, the two teams scored a combined 32 points in the five-minute overtime period
• Virginia forced 22 BC turnovers while only turning the ball over nine times
• UVA scored 24 points off of BC turnovers

 
Sunday is National Girls and Women in Sports Day

• Sunday (Feb. 10) is the annual NGWSD game
• The theme of this year’s event is “Honor the Legacy, Celebrate the Future.” Longtime Virginia athletics administrator and 1991 IWLCA National Coach of the Year Jane Miller will be honored in a pregame reception and during a halftime ceremony
• National Girls and Women in Sports Day brings national attention to the achievements of female athletes and to issues facing girls and women in sport. The event is co-sponsored by the University of Virginia Athletics Department and the Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center
• This is the 25th year that the Cavaliers have celebrated NGWSD
• There will be a pregame sports festival on the upper concourse of JPJ beginning at 12:30. The festival will include sports stations for youth to visit, including field hockey, golf, rowing, soccer, and volleyball. Youth eighth grade and under completing all of the sports stations will receive a complimentary t-shirt. There will also be face painting, balloon artist, pop-a-shot, Plinko and a chance to meet Virginia student-athletes

 
On the Horizon

• Virginia closes out its current homestand by hosting Duke (11-11, 3-7) on Sunday at 2 p.m.
• New this year for all regular-season home games, available reserved single-game tickets can be purchased for $8 in advance, online and via mobile devices, or for $10 at the John Paul Jones ticket office on game day. General admission single-game tickets are $5 in advance, online and via mobile devices or $8 at the John Paul Jones ticket office on game day. Courtside seats are $15