Ask any basketball players what crowd-pleasing move they would use to change a game's momentum and grabbing a rebound would probably not crack the top ten.
Although far less flashy than an alley-oop, dunk or no-look pass, rebounds routinely make the difference for many teams, especially in the ultra-competitive world of ACC women's basketball.
Nobody is more keenly aware of this fact than Virginia coach Debbie Ryan, who has molded her team into a rebounding force over the past several games. Most recently, the Cavaliers put their prowess on display against a nationally ranked Florida State team, pulling down 47 boards compared to the Seminoles' 30.
"This has always been a good rebounding team -- you just have to constantly remind [them] about the fundamentals," Ryan said. "We went back to square one [last] Monday, and they've really responded well to what we've been trying to do."
Several Cavaliers have shouldered the rebounding task, each stepping up at key points over the past few games.
Senior guard LaTonya Blue gave visiting Virginia Tech quite a surprise Jan. 28, collecting a game-high 12 rebounds while playing from the wing. Point guard Sharnee Zoll gave her fellow guard a hand, grabbing six rebounds that night.
"[Rebounding] is about heart and effort," Hokie coach Beth Dunkenberger said after the game. "They out-rebounded us by 22, and their point guard, [Zoll], had more rebounds than any player on our team."
Ryan also appreciated Blues efforts against the Hokies.
"We have good rebounding guards, which makes a huge difference," Ryan said. "When you have good post players, you're always going to be good at rebounding, but when you add a player like LaTonya Blue on the wing, it makes you a tougher team."
On the Cavaliers' recent road trip to face Florida State, it was senior Brandi Teamer's turn to shine. The forward pulled down a dominant 16 boards, nine more than any other player on the floor.
Despite their recent performances, Blue and Teamer still trail team leader Jocelyn Logan-Friend, who has grabbed 136 rebounds so far this season. The senior forward is averaging 6.5 boards per game, the 16th best mark in the conference.
The combination of several individual efforts has put the Cavaliers in solid position within the ACC. After their Florida State performance, the team's 842 total rebounds left them sitting in sixth place in the conference, ahead of Tech, Wake Forest and North Carolina State.
Virginia also has out-rebounded their opponents by an average of 6.7 boards per game, the fourth best margin in the conference.
Although they might not look like the flashiest team on the floor, Virginia's willingness to focus on the down-and-dirty task of rebounding has paid off. The team has refocused following their loss at the hands of Maryland Jan. 20, defeating two ranked teams in the past week.
The Cavaliers will look to continue their success at N.C. State tonight. The way things are going, it appears that the Cavaliers' dedication to the thankless task of rebounding could pay off in a far more glamorous trip to the NCAA tournament.
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