On Sunday at 3:00 PM PT on ACC Network, Stanford women’s basketball will take on the Virginia Cavaliers on the road. Stanford comes in at 14-12 overall and 6-9 in the ACC while Virginia comes in at 13-14 overall and 5-10 in the ACC.
Last time out: Stanford had a huge 75-74 overtime win at Virginia Tech on Thursday. Chloe Clardy led the Cardinal with 30 points, five assists, and three steals.
RECAP: Stanford WBB gets gritty OT victory at Virginia Tech
On Virginia: The Cavaliers are having a rough season so far as they have a losing record overall and a losing record in the ACC. One thing that’s interesting is they are 8-8 at home and 4-4 away with a 1-2 record on neutral courts. So, they’re pretty even no matter where they play.
The Cavaliers are led by sophomore guard Kymora Johnson, who is averaging 17.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Senior forward Latasha Lattimore is also scoring in double figures on average with 14.2 points & 8.4 rebounds per game. Four additional players score 7+ points per game, so the Cavaliers do have a bit of depth.
As a team, the Cavaliers average 70.1 points per game on 42.1% shooting from the field, 30.1% shooting from 3-point range, and 73.3% shooting from the foul line. They average 39.7 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 8.1 steals, 5.7 blocks, and 16.7 turnovers per game. They also average a +1.6 rebound margin and a -1.9 turnover margin per game. Their opponents average 68.2 points per game on 39.7% shooting from the field, 29.7% shooting from 3-point range, and 68.9% from the foul line.
Keys to the game: For Stanford the first thing they need to do is get their 3-ball to fall. When they get their 3-ball to fall, they’re really tough to beat. When they don’t, they become very vulnerable. Against Virginia Tech, they shot 5-19 (26.3%) from 3-point range, which isn’t good. If they can shoot at a better clip, they should be able to win without having the game go into overtime.
The second thing Stanford needs to do is push the pace. If they can play at the kind of pace they want to do and get out in open floor off defensive rebounds, they should be well-positioned to win. That’s where they really thrive offensively.
Finally, they need to make the most of their free throw opportunities. Against Virginia Tech, Stanford shot 14-23 (60.9%) from the foul line. They have to shoot better than that. If they can get more of their foul shots to drop provided they get to the line a decent amount, they should be in a good spot to win. If not, it’s going to be hard for them to win. Especially since Virginia is a solid foul shooting team.
Prediction: I got Stanford pulling this one out by a final score of 72-69. They’ve won three games in a row and appear to be picking up some steam. It would be huge to have Nunu Agara back, but even if she’s out, I still think Stanford pulls it out.
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