Despite having only one more point than turnovers at the half, the Virginia women's basketball team rebounded -- literally -- in the second half to defeat Maryland, 64-51.
The Cavaliers (11-10, 5-5 ACC) played a dismal first half, turning the ball over 18 times and shooting less than 35 percent from the field for 19 points. Luckily for Virginia, the Terrapins couldn't capitalize on the sloppy play and turned the ball over 15 times themselves.
"I've never seen anything like our first half," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "We started talking to [the team] at halftime about how they were getting pushed off screens and not being very physical and just getting flat out kicked."
Virginia responded with intensity in the second half, dominating the boards and scrapping for every loose ball. Although Maryland had a four rebound edge on the Cavaliers in the first half, Virginia finished the game with a 43-27 advantage, which also resulted in 25 second chance points in the game for the Cavaliers.
Junior guard LaTonya Blue led the way for the Cavaliers with her second double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, seven of them offensive.
Junior forward Brandi Teamer was also a pivotal player for Virginia. Even more important than her 21 points and seven rebounds was her sheer presence in the paint.
"When Brandi got into the game in the second half she set the tone for being solid out there," Ryan said. "LaTonya also did a great job for us on the boards. She really went to the boards hard."
Senior guard Anna Prillaman provided an offensive spark for the Cavaliers in the second half, going 3-6 from beyond the arc for 11 points.
"I was so focused at the beginning of the game and I think I was just trying too hard with my shot," Prillaman said. "When I just put them up that's when they start falling. I think I just need to have more of a nonchalant attitude."
What seemed like a one-half game, practically was for Virginia, who more than doubled their points and rebounds in the second half.
But the Cavaliers acknowledge their first half weaknesses and define themselves as a primarily second half team.
"We're obviously a second half team," Prillaman said. "When we're sitting in the locker room at the half down five points after having 18 turnovers in the first half, we're not really worried, at least I wasn't."
Like many of Virginia's recent ACC contests, last night's game appeared that it would be decided in the final moments.
Unlike in other games, however, such as the North Carolina contest earlier this month, the Cavaliers' shot selection and defensive prowess in the last five minutes proved steadfast and led them to the victory.
"Towards the end we had to play with a sense of urgency," Teamer said. "We had to take care of the ball and not make the mistakes we made earlier in the half."
Virginia will look to continue playing with defensive intensity and a sense of urgency in both halves this Sunday when they travel to Georgetown for a rare late-season non conference matchup.
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