Sophomore Lyndra Littles knew this off-season that Virginia's success would depend on her ability to improve her game after a promising freshman season.
While most college students were enjoying summer break, Littles was in the gym working on conditioning and improving her shaky free throw numbers.
Her role on the team would become even bigger when Virginia's top recruit, junior college transfer Aisha Mohammed, was declared out for the season after tearing her ACL weeks prior to the season opener against Rhode Island.
"We have to help each other out," Littles said.
Littles had to rise to the challenge, and she did so in a big way.
The results are undeniable. Littles currently stands fifth in the ACC in points per game and fourth in the conference in rebounds per game, far from a sophomore slump.
"Lyndra, as you could see, has turned into a completely different player than she was last year," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "This year she's just turned into someone you can count on every minute of every game and she's done a lot of things that, last year, she just wasn't ready to do... every day."
One of those things was battling pain and injury. Early this year against Marquette, Littles suffered a broken nose in the first half. Rather than sit down and cost Virginia a precious piece of its frontcourt, Littles battled through on her way to 16 points and 7 rebounds in Virginia's biggest victory this season.
"She was hurting a lot tonight, because she had a broken nose," junior guard Sharnee Zoll said. "I really admire her for sticking through it and not sulking on the fact that she broke her nose and that she was in pain. She was down there fighting for boards, going harder for the basket in than in the first half before she broke her nose. She had no fear and I admire her for that."
Littles is a determined competitor who knows all the accolades she receives mean nothing compared to the win-loss total, which right now is a very disappointing 12-9.
After a heart-breaking loss to Virginia Tech last Monday, despite a solid 14 points, she still wanted to give her team more.
"It was frustrating because it [the shot] didn't fall when I needed it to fall," Littles said. "I missed key points. I know I missed two free throws, and I missed a lay-up in certain times during the game when you can't afford to miss chippies like that. It was very frustrating."
Littles has improved dramatically on the offensive and defensive ends, but if there is one last aspect she must improve for Virginia to climb back in to the ACC race, it will be her leadership.
For three straight games, Virginia has blown a halftime lead. With a torturous ACC schedule still to come it is becoming clear that someone, like Littles, must be that voice of reason on the court.
"That's what we need on this team; someone who will just get in peoples' faces," Zoll said.
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