The Virginia Cavaliers women’s basketball team earned a critical 67-56 win over the Miami Hurricanes on Thursday night, improving to 16-7 on the season and 8-4 in the ACC.
Despite a slow start, the ’Hoos bounced back from a discouraging 12-point loss at Virginia Tech last weekend, using a determined defensive effort and a solid second half to get back in the win column and keep themselves in the NCAA Tournament picture.
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With just six games left on the regular-season schedule, here are five takeaways from the much-needed win inside John Paul Jones Arena for Coach Mox’s ’Hoos:
It wasn’t pretty, but the ’Hoos got it done
This was a game Virginia absolutely had to have, as Miami entered Thursday’s contest with just a 3-8 conference record and sitting squarely outside the projected NCAA Tournament field. Although it wasn’t always pretty, the ’Hoos took care of business.
Virginia shot just 39.3% from the field and 28.6% from three while turning the ball over 14 times on Thursday night, but its defense was able to keep the Hurricanes completely off rhythm. The ’Hoos turned Miami over 20 times (scoring 20 points off those TOs), dominated the rebounding battle (42-20 in favor of Virginia), and held the Hurricanes to just 38% shooting.
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The Cavaliers entered halftime trailing 26-25, but a quick 13-1 run coming out of the break gave Virginia enough separation to overcome its frosty shooting performance. The ’Hoos need to bring their A-game down the stretch, but it’s hard to complain about a double-digit victory on a night when Virginia didn’t even have its best stuff.
Kymora Johnson adds to her historic resume
Kymora Johnson’s name is already scattered throughout the Virginia record books, and she added to her impressive resume by surpassing the single-season UVA three-point record, knocking down her 71st triple of the season in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s win. Johnson now needs just 22 more threes to surpass the UVA career three-point record held by Tora Suber.
Johnson would finish her night with a game-high 18 points while adding six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. A First-Team All-ACC selection last year, Johnson is well on her way to another All-Conference selection in 2026. As of Friday morning, Johnson ranks second in the conference in scoring (18.7 points per game), first in assists (6.3 per game), and first in three-point field goals per game (3.1).
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Though Hannah Hidalgo is pacing toward a second-consecutive ACC Player of the Year Award, Johnson is right on her tail, and a dominant performance in their upcoming head-to-head matchup could go a long way in narrowing that margin.
The Gabby White breakout continues
Three Cavaliers scored in double-figures against the Hurricanes: Johnson, Caitlin Weimar, and freshman Gabby White, who was making her first career start on Thursday night.
A 5-foot-10 guard from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, White has appeared in all 23 games this season for the ’Hoos but really seems to have found her footing over the past few weeks. White tallied a career-high 22 points in the final game of January at Wake Forest, added a 15-point performance last time out at Virginia Tech, and was rewarded with a spot in the starting lineup against Miami.
White made the most of her opportunity, posting a third consecutive double-figure scoring effort while pulling down five offensive rebounds. A slasher with a nose for getting to the rim, White’s recent ascension has been pivotal for the ’Hoos. With sophomore Breona Hurd falling out of the rotation over the back half of the season, Virginia desperately needed another scoring threat to emerge, and White is really beginning to fill that void.
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Virginia is firmly on the bubble
It’s been an up-and-down season for the ’Hoos, who have dealt with injuries and inconsistency from day one. Nevertheless, by racking up enough ACC wins, Virginia has put itself in position to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 if the next few weeks go according to plan.
As of Friday morning, ESPN projects UVA as the first team left out of the tournament, according to ESPN, meaning the ’Hoos are on the cusp of a bid but still have plenty of work left to do. Thursday’s win was paramount, but to propel itself onto the right side of the bubble, Virginia needs a signature win.
As of Friday, Virginia ranks 38th in the NET but is being held back by a lack of Quad 1 wins. The ’Hoos are 0-4 in Q1 opportunities, 2-2 in Quad 2, and 14-1 in Quads 3/4.
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Avoiding slip-ups against teams like Miami is important, but now it’s time for the ’Hoos to earn a big win or two to ensure they go dancing in March.
Next up: a golden opportunity for the ’Hoos
The road ahead for Virginia is daunting, but that means it’s full of massive resume-improving opportunities. Next up is a vital home matchup with Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon. Led by Hidalgo, the Fighting Irish have taken a step back this season (15-8 overall, 7-5 ACC) but still rank 30th in the NET, making Sunday’s matchup a Quad 2 opportunity with the potential to become a Quad 1 game if Notre Dame finishes the season strong.
The Fighting Irish are a little top-heavy, with most of their scoring coming from their dynamic backcourt combination of Hidalgo (24.9 PPG) and Cassande Prosper (15.3 PPG). It’s easier said than done, but if the ’Hoos can slow down those two, they should be able to find a way to earn a win.
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Adding to the motivation, Sunday’s contest will be the celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day at JPJ, and former head women’s basketball coach Debbie Ryan will be honored with tributes throughout the game. A banner will be raised at halftime to commemorate Ryan’s impressive legacy at Virginia, which included three NCAA Final Four appearances, 11 ACC regular-season championships, and 24 NCAA tournament appearances.
