The last months of 2024 were mired in disappointment for Virginia women’s basketball. Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton’s bunch was known for lackluster shooting on the offensive end, pedestrian defense and a knack for losing in frustrating ways such as a 41-point defeat or falling to mid-major programs. What’s worse, the Cavaliers (9-6, 1-2 ACC) entered the new year at 17th in the ACC.
However, earning a 69-46 win against Wake Forest Thursday, this Virginia team displayed a spark of hope for turning the campaign around. The Cavaliers earned their first Power Four victory of their season against the Demon Deacons (7-6, 0-2 ACC) at John Paul Jones Arena.
Virginia got out to a blazing start, forcing four Wake Forest turnovers in the first three minutes of play en route to a quick 9-1 lead. Senior forward Latasha Lattimore and freshman forward Breona Hurd were active on the glass early on, snagging offensive rebounds to give Virginia second-chance looks. Junior guard Paris Clark and sophomore guard Olivia McGhee each got in on the scoring action with early buckets as well.
However, in what was a balanced offensive attack, sophomore guard Kymora Johnson was surprisingly quiet. Virginia’s leading scorer had just four points in the first half — instead focusing on driving into the lane and dishing assists back out to her open teammates. After the opening quarter, the Cavaliers led 19-8.
The Demon Deacons did not let Virginia run away with an easy win, though. Wake Forest cut the Cavalier lead to 25-23 by halftime. Senior guard Rageyn Conley played a big role in this comeback, connecting on a trio of three-point shots in the second quarter alone. In the first half, alone she registered 11 points — ultimately leading all Wake Forest scorers with 17 total points.
Coming out of the break, Wake Forest's three-two zone defense slowed down Virginia, keeping the game within striking distance at 34-31 in favor of the Cavaliers midway through the third quarter. Following the under-five-minutes media timeout though, Agugua-Hamilton’s squad caught fire — utilizing quick ball movement around the perimeter to generate open looks in the gaps of the Demon Deacon zone defense, or running in transition to prevent Wake Forest from setting up its preferred defense in the first place.
In the second half of play, the Cavaliers played to their full potential and dominated the offensive end to the tune of 44 points. Lattimore got the three-point party started after Clark found her at the top of the arc for an open look. The Demon Deacons came down and missed a three-point attempt of their own, and Johnson corralled the long rebound then found Hurd who pulled up in transition for another three-point shot.
Moments later, Johnson was rewarded for her hustle on the glass, as the ball was passed around the court before making its way to her in the corner where she buried another open three-point shot. A defensive rebound from Lattimore on the following possession led to another Cavalier runout, where McGhee was able to finish a layup through contact and convert on the free throw, giving Virginia three points the old-fashioned way.
This two-minute 12-0 run extended the Cavalier lead to 46-31, propelling Virginia ahead for good. Wake Forest would cut the lead to as little as eight points in the fourth quarter, only for another late scoring barrage to put the Cavaliers up by 23 before time expired.
Despite her slow start in the scoring column, Johnson would end up leading the way for Virginia with 16 points to go along with eight assists and seven rebounds, nearly earning a triple-double in yet another outstanding performance for the Cavaliers’ leading scorer. The frontcourt of Lattimore and Hurd combined for 28 points and 13 rebounds, in addition to solid rim protection.
As a team, the Cavaliers shot 40 percent from beyond the arc and 85 percent from the free-throw line — both outstanding improvements compared to the past few weeks of play. Meanwhile, Virginia’s defense held Wake Forest to just 22 percent from three-point range. Additionally, the Cavalier defense forced 15 Demon Deacon turnovers, which in turn provided more opportunities on offense.
Overall, Virginia turned in its best all-around performance of the year in its first ACC victory of the 2024-25 season. The win could potentially give the Cavaliers momentum heading into the rest of conference play with much to build on. Virginia will be back in action on the road against Clemson Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ACCNX.
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