Virginia Falls 80-60 at No. 9 NC State
RALIEGH, N.C. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (5-9, 0-3 ACC) suffered an 80-60 road loss at No. 9 NC State (14-0, 3-0 ACC) on Sunday (Jan. 5) at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C.
Virginia trailed by 10 points at halftime, but NC State used a 16-0 scoring run in the third period to build up a 26-point advantage.
Senior guard Jocelyn Willoughby (East Orange, N.J.) scored 25 points to lead the Cavaliers. Sophomore center Elissa Cunane led the Wolfpack with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The two teams traded three-point shots in the first quarter with UVA making three, including a pair from senior guard Dominique Toussaint (Staten Island, N.Y.), and NC State five as the Wolfpack pulled out to a 23-17 lead. After Toussaint and Willoughby traded baskets with the Wolfpack to start the second period, NC State mounted an 11-2 run, building up a 15-point lead, 38-23, with 3:44 remaining. A three-pointer from Willoughby with 1:15 left in the half ended the run. Virginia’s defense kept the Wolfpack from scoring in the final 3:44 of the second quarter, whittling the deficit down to 10, 38-28, heading into the break.
Despite six points in the first five minutes of the third quarter from freshman guard Shemera Williams (Milwaukee, Wisc.), the Wolfpack built up a 24-point lead, fueled by back-to-back and-ones from Cunane and then back-to-back three-pointers from Aislin Konig. Toussaint and freshman guard Kylie Kornegay-Lucas (Camden, Del.) combined to score the final six points of the period to make it a 62-42 game, however NC State outscored UVA 10-4 to open the fourth quarter and negate the strides. Virginia finished the game strong, outscoring the Wolfpack 12-6 in the final 5:15.
FROM HEAD COACH TINA THOMPSON
“It was a tough game. This is a really, really tough team. They shot the ball extremely well. Even though we had some extreme bright spots defensively, they have so many people, especially that inside game, that can score. We had to double, but they can pass out of it and swing, and multiple players can knock down three-point shots. It is not the easiest guard, but I thought we played tough. For 10-12 minutes of this game, we had some extreme lapses, but for 28-30 minutes, we played a really solid game. It is necessary in the ACC to play hard from start to finish and not have those lapses. Every game you enter, it could be a win or lose situation because of the level of competition. We have to continue to keep working. We will go back to the drawing board and prepare for the next one.”
NOTES
- Jocelyn Willoughby scored nine of Virginia’s 11 points in the second quarter
- Willoughby was 10-of-10 from the free throw line
- This was Willoughby’s sixth 20-point game of the season
- Dominique Toussaint was two shy of matching her season high, finishing with 14 points and three assists
- Kylie Kornegay-Lucas tied for the team rebounding lead with five. She also scored six points (on 3-of-4 shooting) with three assists
- Virginia was 3-of-5 from three point range in the first quarter while NC State was 5-of-10. Virginia was 5-of-18 from three for the game (27.8 percent). The Wolfpack was 11-of-30 from three-point range
- Virginia shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) while NC State shot 49.1 percent (28-of-57)
- NC State outrebounded the Cavaliers 38-25 and outscored UVA 30-18 in the paint
ON THE HORIZON
- The Cavaliers will be back in action at JPJ on Thursday, Jan. 9, hosting Duke (7-5). The game, which has an earl 6 p.m. start time, will be televised on the ACC Network
TICKET INFORMATION
- Reserved single-game tickets are $8 if purchased in advance or online and $10 if purchased at the JPJ Box Office. General admission tickets are $5 if purchased in advance or online and $8 if purchased at the JPJ Box Office. Single-game courtside tickets may be purchased for $15
- For more information or to purchase tickets, fans should contact the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821). Fans can also purchase tickets online at VirginiaSports.com or in-person at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium