The Virginia women's basketball team will take to the road tonight with the hope of not returning to John Paul Jones Arena, the site of this year's Women's National Invitation Tournament, this season.
"Two teams from our conference went to the NCAA tournament with 6-8 [ACC] records last year," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "So we've got lots of time. We are still alive. There's still a heartbeat there. It's like 'E.T.'"
If Virginia (15-12, 4-8 ACC) is to avoid the WNIT, however, it will have to pick up a victory tonight as it takes on Georgia Tech (17-10, 8-5 ACC)
These two teams have not yet played each other this season, a consequence of the expanded ACC, but the Cavaliers beat the Yellow Jackets 57-51 in the same circumstances last year at home.
Last season, however, the Yellow Jackets were 2-11 in conference, as opposed to their current 8-5 mark. Georgia Tech may be the most improved team in the ACC this year.
"They were a very young team last year and they've grown up this year," Ryan said.
The Yellow Jackets are squarely on the NCAA tournament bubble at 17-10, desperate to knock off the Cavaliers and solidify their spot in the tournament.
Senior Stephanie Higgs leads a pretty anemic Georgia Tech offense, ranking 11th in the conference in shooting percentage. Her 15.1 points per game, however, are seventh-best in the conference. Her free-throw shooting could be the Cavaliers' biggest challenge, as she attempts more shots at the charity stripe than any other player in the conference.
Although freshman guard Monica Wright gets all the publicity and accolades, Virginia's success tonight may largely depend on her fellow freshman Paulisha Kellum.
Kellum has started to play more minutes as the long season takes it toll on junior guard Sharneé Zoll's minutes. As a result, Kellum has shown an aggressiveness and focus that the Cavaliers desperately need.
"I just think that Paulisha has really come into her own," Ryan said. "She has grown tremendously over the last couple months. I have just seen her right before my eyes just change. She is ready to play at this level, and she is going to be a force to be reckoned with down the stretch here."
Kellum coolly hit four free throws in the final minutes of the Florida State duel on Sunday, each time knowing that a miss would cost Virginia a chance to tie the game.
That is enough pressure to cause even a seasoned veteran to miss, but Kellum is proving that she is a freshman only in name and not in her play.
With a stinging Yellow Jacket defense, Kellum will be under tremendous pressure. Sophomore Jacqua Williams of Georgia Tech is third in the ACC in steals and will look to harass the Virginia backcourt all game long.
If Kellum can run the offense with Zoll on the bench and provide some points to put some of the scoring load off the shoulders of sophomore forward Lyndra Littles and Wright, Virginia may get the momentum it needs heading into the ACC Tournament.
"Teams will focus more on Monica Wright and when [Kellum] gets in there, they sleep on her and forget about her," senior forward Siedah Williams said. "When she's in there and she's coming towards you, she's going to run you over"
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