University of Virginia's College at Wise Athletics issued the following announcement on Feb. 23
A 20-point, five rebounds, and four steal-performance from Nia Vanzant along with a double-double from veteran Kalee Johnson hoisted the Cavaliers to a pivotal South Atlantic Conference win over the Tusculum Pioneers by a score of 67-56 on Wednesday, February 23.
QUARTER BY QUARTER:
The UVA Wise Cavaliers (11-15, 11-12 SAC) struck first with back-to-back buckets from Vanzant and Johnson to start the first quarter. A shot from the stripe from Jordan Rogers put the Tusculum Pioneers (12-15, 10-13 SAC) on the board at the 7:37 mark, but a quick turnaround score from Katlin Burger earned the Cavaliers a 6-1 lead. A field goal each from Pioneers Rogers, Jalia Arnwine, and Mya Belton kept their squad in contention with less than 30 seconds to go in the quarter, but it was Johnson who dropped a long three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Cavaliers an 11-8 lead.
In the second, a layup from Tusculum's Brianna Dixon started the action to put them within one, but a layup-steal-layup sequence from Vanzant lifted the Cavaliers up by five with 7:39 to go in the half. The next seven minutes featured possession-by-possession scoring from both the Pioneers and the Cavs — with Mackenzie King putting up six points and Vanzant adding another two. Dixon averaged a point each minute remaining in the half while Lexi Patty sank a free-throw and Alyssa Walker contributed three. Going into the locker room, the Cavaliers held a two-point lead.
In the third, the Cavaliers improved to 60-percent from the field compared to a Tusculum 41-percent third quarter performance. A layup from Dixon at the 7:40 mark of the period began a seven-point run for the Pioneers, hoisting them above the Cavaliers by six. Yet Caitlyn Ross didn't let the Cavaliers trail by long, as she bucketed two back-to-back three-pointers with four minutes to go in the quarter. Although Pioneer Belton slid in a layup, Vanzant and Jaymi Golden hit the jackpot from the field and aided in a Cavalier three-point lead going into the final period.
In the fourth, King was fouled early and hit her shots from the stripe to give the Cavaliers a five-point lead. Over the next four minutes, the Pioneers and the Cavaliers were neck-and-neck and soon hit a deadlock of 47 with six minutes to go. As the clock ticked to zero, the Cavaliers would go on to score 12 more points — with Vanzant scoring half. Burger and Sams would account for the remaining six points in the 67-56 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Cavaliers finished with four players in double-digit scoring, as Vanzant led the night with a substantial 20 points, going six-for-11 from the field and accumulating five rebounds. Vanzant also tied a season-high four steals (last time at Newberry on January 22, 2022).
Freshman Burger tallied 12 points in her fourth career-start, hitting five field goals and snagging five rebounds of her own.
Johnson pieced together a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
King put up 10 points and three rebounds, going eight-for-nine from the line as a career-high.
By the final horn, The Cavaliers finished with a 45.7-percent showing from the field, hitting 60-percent and 70-percent in the final two quarters.
On the Pioneer side, Dixon and Patty put up 15 points each, as Dixon added two steals, an assist, and two rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Cavaliers head back home to face the Catawba Indians on Saturday, February 26 in their last regular-season game and last home game of the season.
For all Cavalier news, statistics, and more, visit www.uvawisecavs.com.
Original source can be found here.
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