WBB: Lattimore’s big day helps Hoos take care of Explorers, 76-47

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

On the back of the first career double-double from Latasha Lattimore and a 20-point outing from Kymora Johnson, Virginia powered to a 76-47 win over La Salle on Sunday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena.

Johnson (20 pts, 7-15 FG, 4-7 3PT) led the five Cavaliers in double figures including Olivia McGhee (14 pts, 6-11 FG, 2 ast), Latasha Lattimore, (12 pts, 12 reb, 3 blk) Breona Hurd (10 pts, 5-9 FG, 6 reb, 2 ast), and Yonta Vaughn (10 pts, 2-3 3PT, 4 ast).

Lattimore shined in her third-consecutive start, grabbing 12 rebounds to lead all players and marking her second-consecutive outing with double figures on the boards.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Virginia (3-1) jumped out in front from the opening tip as Edessa Noyan found Johnson for an easy layup just five seconds into the game. Virginia trailed briefly following a La Salle three-pointer, but six straight points from Hurd sparked a 13-3 Cavalier run to take an 11-point lead [17-6]. Hurd’s six points on 3-for-4 shooting led the Cavaliers in the opening frame. The Hoos hit six of their last eight shots in the quarter to finish the period with a five-point advantage [17-12].

In the second quarter, Virginia stretched its lead back to double digits [27-17] on an early run that featured an impressive display of court vision from McGhee who looked off a pair of defenders to find Noyan for a quick two. However, the Explorers (1-3) mounted a 6-2 scoring run to cut the Cavalier lead back to five points [29-24] at the end of the half. Lattimore finished the opening half with seven of her 12 boards after pulling down four in the second quarter.

The second half started just as quickly as the first for Virginia as Johnson knocked down her second three-pointer of the game on UVA’s first possession of the third quarter. The Cavaliers opened the half on a 10-2 run to and never looked back, outscoring their opponents 26-13 for the period to take an 18-point lead going into the fourth [55-37]. Johnson poured in 10 of her 20 points while connecting twice from three-point range.

In the fourth, Lattimore put the finishing touches on her first double-double in a Virginia uniform going for seven points and four rebounds. The Cavaliers outscored the Explorers 21-10 in the game’s final frame and ended the game on an 11-0 run and wrap up a 74-47 victory.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Five Virginia players scored in double figures including: Johnson (20), McGhee (14), Lattimore (12) Hurd (10), Vaughn (10)
• Virginia had five players hit double figures in the same game for the first time this season
• Johnson, and Hurd have each scored in double figures in all four games this season
• Johnson recorded the 10th 20-point game of her career and second of the season, she has scored in double figures in all four games this season
• Latasha Lattimore recorded a double-double (12 pts, 12 reb), her first in a Virginia uniform and third of her career
• Lattimore has recorded double figures on the boards in consecutive games
• McGhee’s 14 points mark a season high and marks her third double-figure outing in four games
• Yonta Vaughn made her first start of the 2024-25 season
• The Cavaliers held La Salle to just 14 points in the paint, the lowest mark of a Virginia opponent this season
• Virginia trailed the game for just 41 seconds in the first quarter

WITH THE WIN…

• The Cavaliers improve to 3-1 on the season
• Virginia improves to 2-0 in the all-time series with the Explorers
• UVA is now 23-5 against non-conference opponents under Agugua-Hamilton

FROM HEAD COACH AMAKA AGUGUA-HAMILTON

“I thought it was a good team win, especially the second half. I thought we really locked in and gapped the game a little bit. La Salle was trying to kind of throw us off rhythm. They know we like to play fast, so they try to slow down the game with mixing up defenses and things like that. I was happy to see us weather the storm.”

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers return to action on Wednesday when they host Alabama State. Tipoff from John Paul Jones Arena is set for 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).