The Plus/Minus: Virginia Women’s Basketball Crushed by Virginia Tech

This game felt like a hangover game, sort of like an echo from the women’s thorough embarrassment against Florida State. The team is struggling to score and their defense, never a strong suit, has actually regressed.

Minus

Three weeks ago these same Cavaliers prevailed over the Hokies in Blacksburg and celebrated their Commonwealth Clash victory on enemy soil, in the Cassell barn. On this day, Tech returned the favor and curb-stomped the Hoos in a game that wasn’t even close. I stopped taking notes late in the second quarter even as the game clock showed 23 minutes that still had to be played.

Minus

Tech was 12/19 (63%) from three-point range while Virginia went 2/16 (12%.) Either figure is equally damning and will get you a loss. Hit both of these negative targets in the same game and you get a blowout. And that’s where the greatest frustration comes from. Florida State is a good team with perhaps the finest offense in the NCAA. Virginia is just not a good team. And the women made the Hokies look real good.

Minus

Kymora Johnson picked up her second foul of the game just three and a half minutes into the first quarter. I’m not going to complain that the first foul was pretty light, but let’s just stipulate that the refs did Virginia no favors for the game. Coach Agugua-Hamilton pulled Mo from the game and since Yonta Vaughn is presumably out for the remainder of the season, Paris Clark was the last guard standing and she had to shoulder point guard responsibilities. She struggled. When Johnson went out, Virginia held a 7-4 lead but Tech went on a 14-2 run and effectively ended the game.

While I have been very critical in the past of Coach Mox, and any coach who yanks players out with two fouls early, it made some sense in this game. The refs were inconsistent to say the least, and the only way that any player could have avoided these fouls would be to just stand still. But Johnson’s absence killed the Cavaliers. With Clark at the top for those 6.5 minutes, neither my buddy Craig not I could figure out what the Hoos were trying to do on offense. Mox brought Johnson back to start the second quarter – it was truly a desperation move – but it was to no avail. After outscoring Virginia 20-14 in the first quarter, Tech bullied the Cavs 26-14 in the second frame.

Plus

Clark scored 16 points, Breona Hurd 12, and Johnson joined Clark with 16 points. Seeing Clark and Hurd both reach double figures in the same game is a welcome sight, but it was undone by a poor performance from Latasha Lattimore who scored but eight points on just three buckets. Olivia McGhee is crumbling before our very eyes as she has scored just two or three points in four of her last five games.

Read More: Matt's got 5 Takeaways

Minus

The team has gone back to playing man-to-man defense only everyone is playing a step slow. Tech consistently beat Virginia up the court in transition, and once settled into the half-court, Virginia’s rotations were a step slow. At least five times my buddy Craig complained that the Hoos ought to at least try to guard the perimeter. (It didn’t help that when Virginia did close out effectively, Tech converted the three. It was kind of demoralizing that way.)

Plus

Paris Clark scored at the buzzer as the first quarter was ending.

PARIS AT THE BUZZER 🚨#GoHoos🔸⚔️🔹 #GNSL pic.twitter.com/lgdQqU82JC
— Virginia Women's Basketball (@UVAWomensHoops) February 9, 2025

She did the same as the third quarter ended. That was pretty cool to do that twice in the same game.

And that’s about the only plus I can think of.

Minus

This team is regressing and none of the players who were with Coach Mox last season have gotten any better this year. Paris Clark, who finally seems healthy, has put up decent numbers – 16 points today, 16 against FSU, and 19 vs Louisville – but it’s taken her 16, 13, and 12 shots respectively to get there. Her three-point shot has dried up, she’s 2/14 the past six games, and despite her constantly attacking the rim, she’s garnered just 12 free throw attempts. We’ve already covered McGhee. Johnson is still who she is, the very heart and soul of this team, but other than Georgia Tech, she’s been outplayed by every other point guard she’s faced over the past six or so games. Edessa Noyan did put up 10 against Syracuse, but over the last six games, she’s shooting just 12/38 from the floor. Taylor Lauterbach has played just 24 minutes over her last six games, including a minute in each of the last three.

If the core is not progressing, and defining core as those who have been at Virginia year-in and year-out, it puts a heavier burden on newcomers Hurd and Lattimore. And if they should struggle, it makes for games like this one.

Next Up: The Cavaliers get a bit of a break before traveling to Pittsburgh next Sunday, February 16th to take on the Panthers. Game time is 2:00pm and the game is on the ACC Network.

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