Not allowing a single lead change, the Cavaliers outshot and outmuscled their way to victory over a physically strong Liberty team.
In the first half, it was all outside for Virginia. Fifteen of the team's 31 first period points came from three-pointers and only four from in the paint. While being forced to the perimeter ultimately worked for the Cavaliers' advantage, they struggled on the inside due to the size of their opponents.
Six-foot eight-inch center Katie Feenstra caused problems for Virginia from the start, both offensively and defensively but the Cavaliers held her to seven points.
"Our biggest concern was Feenstra inside," coach Debbie Ryan said. "I felt like we really did a great job on her seeing as she's one of the best centers in the country and has really improved over the last couple of years. She's a big girl and its very difficult to defend her."
As Virginia held back the Flames' star center, their own center, senior Brandi Teamer came up big, scoring 12 points, many of them on second-chance shots. Teamer also grabbed down five rebounds.
Sophomore guard Brenna McGuire paced the Cavaliers offensively, dropping a career-high five three-pointers. While each one propelled Virginia's momentum and stopped any runs from the opponents, one in particular halted a possible Liberty comeback and put an exclamation mark on the Virginia lead. With about eight minutes to go in the contest, McGuire essentially ended their attempt to bring the game back within range by dropping it from way outside the three-point line.
"It was huge, Brenna was hot tonight," Ryan said. "She didn't hesitate at all even though she was pretty far out. She could have shot it from the locker room tonight and I think it would have gone in."
McGuire has always been a prominent outside shooter for the Cavaliers and while she has not surpassed the success she had last night from outside, she is confident that she can do so again in the future.
"I've always shot the three very well and Debbie ran a lot of plays for me and I knocked it down today," she said. "I mean I had a good night but I feel like I can bring that every night. It just dropped tonight."
The second half, the Cavaliers got their inside game under control and really put the Flames away until the final five minutes when they let up slightly. With as much as a 19-point lead at one point in the second period, Virginia racked up 18 more points in the paint after the break than before it. They also had 14 more points off turnovers and 14 more second-chance points.
Much of Virginia's second-half help came from senior forward Jocelyn Logan-Friend. Logan-Friend had only her second ever double-double with 11 rebounds and 10 points.
"Jocelyn was really, really strong tonight in every aspect of the game," Ryan said. "Around every loose ball, Jocelyn was there."
While the Cavaliers' lead was rarely significantly challenged, Liberty forward Rima Margeviciute proved the kind of threat the Flames can be by dropping 23 points in the contest.
In the end, however, the Cavaliers' successful defense against Liberty's strong center as well as their offensive team effort put out the Flames.
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