UVA Cruises to 101-46 Win vs. UMBC

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s basketball (2-0) team defeated UMBC (1-1) 101-46 on Thursday (Nov. 10) at John Paul Jones Arena.

Sam Brunelle led the Cavaliers with 21 point and seven rebounds while Camryn Taylor had 15 points and also pulled down seven rebounds. UVA’s point total was the most since scoring 103 vs. Central Connecticut State during the 2017-18 season and it marked the first time UVA pulled down 60 rebounds in a contest since 63 vs. Alabama in 2012-13.

The Cavaliers took advantage of the Retrievers poor first-half shooting performance to jump out to a 50-21 halftime advantage led by Sam Brunelle’s 13 first-half points. UVA dominated the paint in the opening 20 minutes, scoring 30 of its first-half points inside and pulling down 10 offensive rebounds as it outrebounded UMBC by a 32-18 margin.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead following a layup and three-pointer by Sam Brunelle on back-to-back possessions. UVA’s defense limited UMBC without a basketball for a 5:36 stretch in the opening quarter as the Retrievers missed on all seven three-point attempts in the opening quarter that ended with a 28-18 Cavalier lead. UVA outrebounded UMBC 17-8 in the opening period.

The Cavaliers used a 19-0 scoring run during the second quarter to put the contest away. UMBC went scoreless for 7:02 during the quarter before converting their only field goal (in 15 attempts) of the period at the buzzer. UVA outscored the Retrievers 22-3 to take a 50-21 lead into halftime.

Virginia scored 64 of its points in the paint including 27 off of fast breaks thanks in part to its impressive performance on the boards.

CAVALIER NOTES

• Juniors Mir McLean and Alexia Smith made their first appearances after not playing in the season opener vs. George Washington
• UVA is now 4-0 against UMBC including a home record of 3-0
• UVA held the Retrievers scoreless for 7:02 during the second period until UMBC converted its only field goal of the quarter at the buzzer.
• After scoring 18 points in the first quarter, UMBC did not score its next 18 points until the 5:15 mark of the fourth quarter.

• The Cavaliers scored 80 points in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2014-15 season when UVA had 100 vs. Delaware State on Dec. 6 and followed that up with 91 vs. Longwood on Dec. 16
• All 11 UVA players scored and it marked the second consecutive game the Cavaliers had five players reach double figures.
• Alexia Smith pulled down a career-high nine rebounds for UVA.

• UVA doubled UMBC in rebounding, pulling down 65 boards to 32 for the Retrievers
• The Cavaliers generated 47 points from their bench and scored 27 of their points on fast breaks.
• UVA made nine three pointers to just one for the Retrievers.

FROM HEAD COACH AMAKA AGUGUA-HAMILTON

“I’m very proud of our team and how we played. We talked a lot about being consistent and just locking into the game plan, no matter if we are up by 40 or if it’s a tied game. I’m happy to see that we did that one through 11. This is the first game all year that we’ve had all 11 people out there, even in practice. It felt great to have our whole team and the energy that they brought.”

ON THE HORIZON

• Virginia hosts Wake Forest on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m. It will be the earliest ACC game in program history.