The Virginia women’s basketball team hosted its second straight contest at John Paul Jones Arena Thursday night in a battle against North Carolina. The Cavaliers (14-7, 7-1 ACC) continued their torrid run in ACC play with an 82-70 victory, a streak that has lead them to a three-way tie for first place in the conference.
Senior guard Aliyah Huland El opened hot from the floor with 10 points in the first six minutes of play. She has increasingly played a huge role in the Cavaliers’ offense lately despite a slow start, providing efficient buckets for Coach Joanne Boyle.
Sophomore guard Jocelyn Willoughby finished the first quarter with a buzzer-beating lay-in and the Cavaliers ended with a 27-18 lead. Senior Guard J’Kyra Brown got it going in the second quarter, finishing the first half with 11 points. Fellow senior Huland El went in the locker room with a team-leading 12 points.
Virginia entered halftime with a 47-32 lead after a strong 20 minutes of play against a well-rounded Tar Heels (14-7, 4-4 ACC) team. The Cavaliers continued strong in the opening minutes of the third quarter, shooting 7-9 to take a near 20-point advantage.
After three quarters, Virginia had four players in double-figures and a 19-point lead at 69-50. North Carolina opened the final quarter on a small run, but never truly got within distance to present a real threat. Finishing the contest with five players in double figures, the Cavaliers picked up another huge victory in ACC play, 82-70.
The Cavaliers will next take their show on the road, traveling to Atlanta, Ga. to face the Yellow Jackets at 1 p.m. Sunday.
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