UVA falls to Miami in regular season finale
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (CBS19 SPORTS)-- Despite scoring the most points in a conference game this year the Cavaliers fell to the Hurricanes 85-74.
With just six players available the 'Hoos jumped out to a 5-0 start. UVA maintained the lead with back to back threes from Mckenna Dale and alter Alexia Smith but began to trail once the Hurricanes hit a 14-0 run. Valladay scored five straight points, including hitting her lone three pointer of the day, to narrow the gap to 16-12 with 1:48 remaining, but Oldacre ended the quarter by converting an and-one to put Miami ahead 22-14.
After going 2-13 from the field, Smith breathed life back in to UVA's shooting with a jumper. But another three from Hanna Cavinder allowed Miami to pull away by 12 with 3:17 remaining in the half. Cady Pauley cut the deficit to just eight with a pair of threes but but Karla Erjavec ended the quarter with a jumper to send the Canes into the locker room with a 40-30 advantage.
Cady Pauley picked up right where she left off after the half hitting another trey. That, followed by an and-one from Taylor pulled the 'Hoos to just a 6 point deficit. Miami responded with a 7-0 run before Pauley drained another three with 3:38 remaining to make it 59-49.
Hanna Cavinder opened the final period with a three-pointer. Back-to-back threes from Cavinder and Harden built up a 15-point advantage with 5:52 remaining. Back-to-back jumpers from Taylor and Valladay followed by a free throw from Smith got the deficit back to 10 before Harden scored a jumper to push the lead out to 81-69. A three-pointer from Dale made it 84-74 with a minute to play. The Canes did not make a field goal in the final 2:55 of the game, but went 4-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to close out the 11-point win.
UVA now enters the ACC tournament as the no. 13 seed, they will play Wake Forest Wednesday at 1pm in Greensboro.