Everyone on Grounds owes a huge "thank you" to LaTonya Blue and the Virginia women's basketball team. Blue's 26 point-, 12 rebound-, four-steal performance led the Cavaliers to a 70-67 win over the much-hated Virginia Tech Hokies Friday, a victory which saved the pride of Cavalier fans everywhere.
It was a win the fans needed, because the thought of the Hokies stealing football and both basketball games from us would be unthinkable. But Virginia Tech was on the verge of doing just that Friday night because of the disappointing loss the men's team suffered Thursday. So to say that there was a sense of urgency at University Hall would be a huge understatement.
I've never seen a crowd at U-Hall that remained excited throughout an entire basketball game. Sure, the crowd went crazy at the end of a few games last year because of a certain player named Todd Billet, but this was different.
These fans made U-Hall feel like an actual basketball arena. I have my reservations about U-Hall, which range from the size (way too small) to the crowd (the seats are too far from the court) to the atmosphere (out of date stadium = no fun), but Friday night was different. There was a buzz in the air. There was something about the place that said, "this night is different."
The only other time I have ever had a feeling like that before a basketball game was when I went to see the Bullets play Michael Jordan and the Bulls at US Air Arena way back in the day. That game was during Jordan's first comeback, and everyone was looking to see what Air Jordan could do after a prolonged absence. Before that game, everyone knew Jordan would be able to respond because, well, because he was Michael Jordan.
During the warm-ups for Friday's game, I had a feeling that a Virginia player would step up -- I just didn't know who it would be.
It turned out to be LaTonya Blue, and nobody should have doubted it would have been her. Blue has stressed all year long that her desire this season is to win, and she certainly has done everything she can to put the Cavaliers in a position to achieve this goal. She has had games where she is content to spread the ball to her teammates, but on Friday, she seemed determined to make it her night.
Blue got off to a slow start, scoring her first point from the free throw line after missing her first shot, but it wasn't long before she put her stamp on the game. Five minutes into the game, Blue stole the ball from Hokie point guard Carrie Mason and ran down the court. She missed a lay-up but got the offensive rebound and the put-back. You could tell Blue wasn't going to let this game slip away -- and she didn't, or rather, she wouldn't. Whenever the Cavaliers needed a bucket, it was Blue who answered the call. Whether it was her running jumper with a second remaining in the first half to give Virginia a one-point advantage at the break (a textbook demonstration in isolation basketball), or her I'm-going-to-make-this-shot-no-matter-what basket with 40.2 seconds left that basically sealed it for the Cavaliers, Blue scored when it mattered. Friday belonged to Blue so much that Virginia coach Debbie Ryan referred to that shot as a "good look" despite the fact that there were numerous Tech defenders around Blue.
Before the game, there was a sense of urgency. After the game, there was only elation at U-Hall. The elation was because, as far as most fans are concerned, LaTonya Blue chose the perfect time to have arguably the best game of her career as a Cavalier.
And for that, I want to be the first to say, "thank you, LaTonya"
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