CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Kymora Johnson’s 26 points powered an 18-point Cavalier comeback to force overtime on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 24). However, Virginia (14-6, 6-3 ACC) ultimately fell to NC State (14-6, 7-2) by a score of 78-76 at John Paul Jones Arena.
Johnson (26 pts, 9 ast, 3 reb) scored 18 of her points in the second half including a game-tying three-pointer that sent the contest to an extra period. Tabitha Amanze scored 14 points and pulled down five rebounds while Gabby White logged eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Cavaliers shot the ball at a 55-percent clip (18-33) while drilling eight threes in the fourth quarter to storm back at tie the game. Johnson connected three times from long range in the fourth while dishing out four assists.
NC State’s Zoe Brooks led all players with 37 points (8-15 FG, 19-20 FT) while setting JPJ records for both free throws made and attempted. Khamil Pierre (15 pts) Samareya Jones (14 pts) each scored in double figures for the Wolfpack as well.
How It Happened
Brooks scored seven of the Wolfpack’s first nine points to lead NC State in the first. The Cavaliers went 2-for-18 in the opening quarter and held NC State to 27 percent (5-18) as they entered the second quarter trailing by a margin of 16-6.
The Cavaliers pulled within seven points [14-21] halfway through the second quarter, but the Wolfpack mounted a 9-0 run to increase its advantage to 16 points as the Cavaliers went into the locker room down 34-18. Brooks led all players with 14 first-half points while Johnson led the Cavaliers with five points and three assists.
In the third, Virginia used a 13-4 scoring run highlighted by seven points from Johnson to cut the Wolfpack lead to single digits [33-42]. The Cavaliers won the quarter 19-14 and shot 53 percent (8-15) led by Johnson’s nine points in the frame.
The Cavaliers trailed by as many as 15 with just over eight minutes to play but Virginia outscored NC State 27-12 down the stretch. Romi Levy and Paris Clark each drilled timely three-pointers to cut into the Pack lead before Johnson connected from deep to tie the game at 66-66 with 14 seconds remaining.
Virginia took its first lead of the game in the overtime period after a Jillian Brown three-pointer but were ultimately outscored 12-10 in the extra period.
From Head Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton:
“I'm proud of the way we fought back. I thought when the game wasn't going our way in the first half we could have not fought back, but we did. We were pushing in overtime; we just have to start our games out better. We've got to compete for 40 minutes because we're talented enough to do it. We let one slip away.”
Game Notes
- Virginia came back to take the lead after trailing by 18 points (3rd, 8:51)
- The Cavaliers drop to 1-1 in overtime games on the season
- The Cavaliers are 41-45 in the all-time series with NC State
- Virginia is 21-18 against NC State at home
- The loss snaps a six-game Cavalier winning streak in overtime games
- Double-figure scorers: Johnson (26), Amanze (14)
- Kymora Johnson notched her ninth 20-point game of the season
- Johnson notched her ninth 20-point game this season, 29th of her career
- Caitlin Weimar led the team with 10 rebounds
- Weimer recorded her sixth game at least 10 rebounds this season, 79th of her career
- UVA held its opponents to season-low two bench points
- Virginia shot 40% from 3-point range for the seventh time this season
- UVA was outrebounded by a margin of 46-45 and drops to 0-3 when losing the rebound battle
- Virginia recorded 16 second chance points to NC State’s six
- UVA’s 12 three-pointers match a season-high
- Sa’Myah Smith led the team with three blocked shots
Up Next:
Virginia is set to travel to Wake Forest on Thursday (Jan. 29). Tipoff from LJVM Coliseum is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).