WBB host Virginia Feb 1 at 6PM on ACCNetwork

The #17 Ladies(17-4. 7-2) host Virginia(10-10, 2-7) tonight; the game is on the ACC Network at 6 PM. The Cavaliers are 10-10 overall and 2-7 in the ACC this year; but that may be slightly misleading. Six of their losses are to ranked or receiving votes team; and in their last 3 games, they are 2-1 with wins at FSU and over #24 UNC at home. They did lose to PItt by 4 at home; but they are clearly a team that is improving as the season progresses.

The Cavaliers are a mix of young and old. They start 2 freshmen, a sophomore, a fifth year and a grad student. They do have 6'7" #4 Taylor Lauterbach, but she has not started a game and only played in 15 of their 20 games for about 7 min/game. UVA has had 9 different players start a game this year; but only 3 players have played in every game.

They play a lot of players. Nine players average 16 or more min/game and 2 more average 10/min/game. Only #21 Kymora Johnson, who is the only player to start every game and one of three to play in every game, plays more than 25 min/game; and she plays 28 min/game. In their last game against UNC, the starters were #33 Brunelle, #34 Clarkson, #9 McGhee, #1 Clark and #21 Johnson. #4 Brown, #12 Noyan, and #23 Smith played about 20 minutes off the bench. Against Pitt the game before and FSU before that, #20 Taylor started in place of Brunelle. Taylor was injured and left the Pitt game in the second quarter and did not play against UNC. #23 Smith has played in 101 games at UVA.

The Cavaliers are shooting less than 30% from beyond the arc this season; but they shot 58% against UNC hitting on 11 of 19 shots. In typical ACC foul scenario, they shot 28 free throws as the home team against UNC and made 22 of them. UVA led by 3 at the half and after the third quarter; then they outscored UNC 21-9 in the fourth to win going away.

They may play so many players because of their foul situation. Two players average almost 3.5 fouls per game and two average over 2. Although they don't shoot a high percentage normally from three, they are not shy about taking the shot; about 33.5% of their shots are from long range. And every player except Clarkson seems willing to let fly from deep.

This has all the indications of a trap game; a team with a bad record between two ranked teams. But UVA is a team that is playing well right now. We can't afford to take this team lightly. They are playing well and they will be motivated. It would be great if Kitley could play like she is capable this game. I don't think UVA can stop her if she is playing well; and that will open up the floor for the rest of the team. Trying to stop Kitley may also result in a high number of fouls for the players trying to guard her.

LET'S GO HOKIES!