Anna 
Virginia’s women’s basketball team came close to completing a dramatic comeback against California, but ultimately fell 76-70 in a back-and-forth game on Thursday night at John Paul Jones Arena.
The game remained tight throughout, with neither team able to build a comfortable lead. California (22-6, 10-5 ACC) entered the fourth quarter with a narrow one-point advantage. The final period was a tense battle marked by numerous fouls, giving both teams multiple opportunities at the free-throw line.
The Golden Bears gained a five-point cushion late in the game, but Virginia (13-14, 5-10 ACC) fought back. With just under 90 seconds left, sophomore guard Kymora Johnson’s layup brought the Cavaliers within three points. However, a critical three-pointer from California extended the lead, and Virginia had little time left to respond. Despite another late effort, the Cavaliers couldn’t close the gap and fell to the Golden Bears by a score of 76-70.
“We kind of beat ourselves,” said Virginia head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton. “We weren’t clicking, we were just a little off.”
The game featured several momentum swings, with California initially rallying from a five-point deficit to take a double-digit lead in the third quarter. Virginia, however, battled back, and Johnson and teammate Breona Hurd made crucial free throws to tie the game in the final minutes of the third. But the Cavaliers couldn’t execute in the clutch moments, missing open shots down the stretch.
“We were able to claw back into it, but we just didn’t execute down the stretch,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “We had open looks, and we just didn’t take the shot.”
From the start, California played aggressively, pressuring Virginia on both ends of the floor. The Golden Bears forced the Cavaliers to work hard for every point. Yet, Virginia was able to find its rhythm, with Johnson hitting a key three-pointer in the first quarter and senior forward Latasha Lattimore making several impactful blocks. Lattimore’s defense helped the Cavaliers hold a slim lead at the end of the first period.
California struggled with its shooting early in the game, but the Golden Bears’ defense stifled Virginia at times, especially against Johnson. The Cavaliers also struggled offensively, but a technical foul by California in the second quarter gave Virginia a couple of extra points at the free-throw line.
With momentum building, freshman forward Breona Hurd capped off a solid first half by scoring a layup to give Virginia a 35-30 lead heading into the break.
Despite showing promise in the first half, Virginia’s inability to close out the game resulted in their 14th loss of the season. The Cavaliers will need to regroup quickly as they face further challenges in the ACC.
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