Behind a career-high output from Sa’Myah Smith and another vintage Kymora Johnson performance, the tenth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers women’s basketball team survived an overtime thriller against the seventh-seeded Georgia Bulldogs, 82-72, in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 64.
Inside an air-conditioning-less Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the ’Hoos delivered their best offensive performance
since their upset of then-No. 8 Louisville in late February, shooting 51.7% from the field and knocking down 10 3-pointers to pull off the upset.
With the win, Virginia advances to the Round of 32 for the first time since 2018, where it will look to keep its March Madness Cinderella story going against the second-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes at 2:00 PM EST on Monday afternoon.
In the meantime, here are three takeaways from Saturday’s resilient upset win over Georgia:
There’s no quit in these Cavaliers
The regular season and ACC Tournament didn’t end the way Virginia wanted, but the selection committee gave the ’Hoos a chance to prove they belonged in the Big Dance, and Coach Mox’s squad is making the most of its opportunity.
Despite trailing 43-42 at halftime and by as many as eight points early in the fourth quarter, Virginia didn’t quit. Back-to-back clutch triples by Romi Levy and Johnson midway through the fourth gave the ’Hoos new life, and after trading buckets down the stretch, another Levy three evened the score at 71 to force overtime.
Coming off a grueling First Four matchup against a hard-nosed Arizona State squad, the ’Hoos easily could’ve run out of gas in the final minutes against the Bulldogs. Instead, Coach Mox’s squad executed as well as it has in weeks in overtime, connecting on 3-of-5 field-goal attempts and 5-of-6 free throws while holding Georgia to just two points in the extra period.
Coach Mox’s teams have had a reputation for crumbling under postseason pressure during her tenure at UVA, but that narrative has been flipped on its head over the past four days. Saturday’s win was the second overtime victory in the NCAA Tournament in Virginia program history, as the ’Hoos picked the perfect time to earn just their second victory (2-10) when trailing at the half this season.
Sa’Myah Smith came up huge
When Coach Mox went and got Sa’Myah Smith out of the transfer portal this past offseason, she was dreaming of big-time March performances like the one Smith turned in on Saturday. The former LSU Tiger and 2023 National Champion channeled her NCAA Tournament experience to deliver a gem on the biggest stage of Virginia’s season, finishing her afternoon with a career-high 23 points (10-12 FG), 11 rebounds, and four assists.
Smith, who became the 13th Virginia player to record at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game, started the day a perfect 8-for-8 from the field while turning in 20 first-half points. Her dominant start set the tone for the ’Hoos and provided a perfect running partner for Johnson.
Too often this season, opposing defenses can key on Johnson, knowing Virginia doesn’t have many other options who are liable to get buckets in bunches. But with Smith going to work on the inside, Johnson was freed up on the perimeter, where she canned five 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 28 points (8-19 FG), seven rebounds, and six assists.
Johnson, whose 28 points were the sixth-most by a Virginia player in an NCAA Tournament contest, continues to shine on the national stage. March Madness is tailor-made for dominant guards, and Johnson is navigating the Cavaliers’ run with Kemba Walker-like authority thus far.
Next up: Iowa
Seeking its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2000, Virginia will face a hostile road environment inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena against host Iowa on Monday afternoon.
The second-seeded Hawkeyes posted a dominant season under second-year head coach Jan Jensen, entering the tournament with a 26-6 record and ranked inside the top-10 of the NET.
Against fifteenth-seeded FDU in the first round, however, the Hawkeyes didn’t look like world-beaters. The Knights only trailed by two points heading into the fourth quarter, before Iowa ultimately pulled away for a 58-48 win.
ESPN analytics only gives Virginia a 16.9% chance to pull off the upset, but with Johnson at the helm, the ’Hoos have already proven they can hang with elite teams this season. And, as well all know, anything can happen in March.
