Cavaliers erase early deficit, roll past Tulane, 81-59

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia erased a 15-point deficit on the way to its 81-59 victory over Tulane in the opening game of the inaugural Cayman Islands Classic Friday in George Town. UVA’s come-from-behind victory marked its largest since trailing by as many as 19 points in the Hoos’ 62-58 win over Virginia Tech on Jan. 19, 2019. 

The Cavaliers (4-1) received a huge lift from their bench, which finished Friday’s game with 49 points. Among those was Yonta Vaughn, who finished with a career-high 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range.

Sam Brunelle (12 pts, 4 for 5 on 3-point attempts) and Alexia Smith (10 pts, 4 for 5 FG) also scored in double figures off the bench. Kymora Johnson dished out a season-high nine assists, the most by a Cavalier since the 2021-22 season. Defensively, London Clarkson, Johnson and Smith accounted for nine of Virginia’s 13 total steals with three each. 

Virginia shot 43 percent from distance after going just 1-for-23 in its previous game against Oklahoma. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

Tulane (3-2) led 24-12 at the end of the first quarter after shooting 50 percent from the floor, while the Hoos shot just 31 percent. The Green Wave connected on the first basket of the game at the 9:00 mark to lead for the remainder of the quarter and ultimately by as many as 15 [20-5].  

The Cavaliers scored the first 14 points of the second quarter to take the lead [26-24] at the 6:01 mark. The Green Wave would tie the score at 26-26 one last time before a made 3-point by Brunelle gave the Hoos the lead for good. UVA shot 53 percent from the floor in the second. Johnson and Smith both had three steals at the half at which point the Hoos led 36-34. Twenty-three of UVA’s 36 points were from its bench. 

Virginia opened the second half by scoring the first 10 points to grasp a comfortable lead. The Cavaliers continued to pile on throughout the rest of the quarter to ultimately lead it by 21 [63-42] with five ticks left on the clock. Eight different Cavaliers found the bottom of the net in the third, and UVA converted seven Tulane third-quarter turnovers into 13 points. 

With its 63-42 cushion heading into the fourth, the Green Wave would only get as close as 16 points [68-52] midway through the quarter. Vaughn scored eight of her 14 points in the final quarter, while Olivia McGhee, who recorded her first career start, registered seven points and pulled down four of her six rebounds.

WITH THE WIN… 

• The Cavaliers secured their first victory of the series with Tulane, which began in 2001.  
• UVA improved to 1-3 in the series with the Green Wave. 
• Virginia improved to 15-1 in non-conference games under Amaka Agugua-Hamilton. 
• UVA earned its first win at a neutral site under Agugua-Hamilton. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

• Virginia overcame 15-point deficit and held on to win, its largest come-from-behind victory since knocking off Virginia Tech, 62-58, on Jan. 10, 2019 in Charlottesville, when the Hoos trailed by as many as 19 points. 
• The Cavaliers finished with 49 bench points, the most by UVA in a single game since Dec. 18, 2011 in its 92-43 victory over Radford. 
• Virginia shot 43 percent from 3-point range, its best clip of the season. 
• Yonta Vaughn’s 14 points are a career high. 
• Kymora Johnson finished with a season-nine assists, the most by a Cavalier in a single game since the 2021-22 season. 

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers return to John Gray Gymnasium this evening to take on reigning-national champion and No. 7 LSU. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. on FloHoops ($) and WINA (98.9/1070).