The Plus/Minus: Virginia Women’s Basketball Stomps UMES

Plus

A win is a win is a win. This was a feisty UMES team that wanted to attack Virginia in the paint, knowing full well that UVa has a trio of players at 6’ 5” and two more standing 6’ 3”. Full credit to UMES for trying as this is how they are going to attack the MEAC this year. I had much the same reaction last year, and since I live on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, I made a point of catching a couple Hawks games. I think I will go see them again this year.

Plus

Let us take a moment to celebrate both the men’s and women’s teams. The men are second in the nation in blocked shots (8/game) while the women are ranked 7th at 7 blocks per game. The women obliterated that mark today, stuffing 13 shots. Romi Levy had four and the most acrobatic was Kymora Johnson sprinting 60 feet to swat what looked like an easy fast break basket. Overall, eight different players had blocks.

Plus

Gabby White in the first half had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists. In ten minutes. Talk about stuffing the stat sheet. She is extremely strong going to the basket.

Minus

White also fouled out in just 13 minutes. While she relishes contact, she’s still learning just how physically she can play at this level.

Minus

Sa’Myah Smith has yet to suit up for the Cavaliers. Joining her on the bench were Breonna Hurd and Olivia McGhee. Can we just stipulate that injuries suck?

Plus

After starting out 2/8 from three-point range, the Cavaliers closed on a trot to finish 8/19 for the game. That’s 42%, and you can win a lot of games shooting 42% from deep.

Plus

Tabitha Amanze had 17 points on 8/10 shooting. She’s got great footwork and when she sets up down low, she is very good at sealing her defender behind her back hip. The women are still in the cupcake portion of their schedule and I don’t know how well this skill will translate into ACC play. She’s not going to make anyone forget Latasha Lattimore, but you know what, she’s fouling much less and she has a better drop step.

Highlights

All-around effort in today's W 🔥 Check out the the broadcast highlights here!!#GoHoos🔸⚔️🔹 #GNSL pic.twitter.com/bF786vhRRB
— Virginia Women's Basketball (@UVAWomensHoops) November 30, 2025

Minus

Look, I like this UMES team, and coach Malika Willis, in her second year seems to have turned the program around. But she made the mistake, as thousands of coaches before her have done, of pulling her best player – Ashanti Lynch – with two fouls late in the first quarter. I truly don’t understand the logic. Fearing that your player might foul out late in the game, a coach in effect fouls out a player early in the game. It didn’t work for UMES. The Hawks were only down 17 – 15 (and they had the lead for the first five minutes) when Lynch sat. Virginia promptly went on a 9 – 2 run to close out the first frame and were never threatened again. Lynch did re-enter the game in the second half, and she scored nine second-half points, but the damage had been done and the game had been lost. All because Lynch might have fouled out.

Plus

I’ve been critical of the Hoos for three years for being a supposed running team that didn’t know how to throw an outlet pass. I saw three today, all of which led to easy buckets. And other than Gabby White trying to go coast-to-coast (which was the right decision because it resulted in a 1v1 at the rim) no other Cavalier tried to make a cross-court jaunt. Maybe they’re learning.

Plus

Jillian Brown’s resurgence upon her return from season-ending surgery last season continues. She had a Virginia-high 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. She personally broke Virginia’s two for nine streak from deep with two quick treys late in the third period which broke open a game that was, technically, still in reach for UMES. The last four games Brown is 14/20 from the field, 10/13 from deep and a perfect 6/6 from the foul line. When, and if, Sa’Myah Smith ever gets healthy, Levy will slot in at the three, leaving coach Agugua-Hamilton with having to decide who gets starters minutes at the 2: Brown or Paris Clark. It is great that JB has played herself into this conversation.

Skip ⏭️ Splash 💦#GoHoos🔸⚔️🔹 #GNSL pic.twitter.com/bqlZydK5he
— Virginia Women's Basketball (@UVAWomensHoops) November 30, 2025

Minus

The team is distinctly mediocre at the free throw line. Any single game shooting over 65% is going to have to be considered a win.

Next Up: It’s the ACC v SEC challenge and Virginia takes on a surging Vanderbilt squad, undefeated and #17 in the country. At last, a game that means something! Game time is 5:00pm on Wednesday, December 3rd. The game will be on the SEC Network which tells us the game is in Nashville.