UM women upset No. 9 Virginia Tech 77-66 for second Top 25 win in four days
It has been a heck of a year so far for the University of Miami women’s basketball team.
After ending 2022 with a trio of losses, the Hurricanes are 3-0 in 2023 following a 77-66 upset of No. 9 Virginia Tech on Sunday. It was Miami’s third conference win in a week and second over a Top 25 team in four days.
UM sophomore guard Jasmyne Roberts, starting the second game in a row in place of injured Destiny Harden, led all scorers with a career-high 23 points and team-high eight rebounds. She went 8-of-12 from the floor and 5-of-7 from three-point range.
Her previous high had been 15 points against Pitt on New Year’s Day.
After the game, UM players piled on each other at midcourt and coach Katie Meier gave an extra-long hug to Roberts. The players doused Meier with cups of cold water when she entered the locker room.
“Wow, wow, wow,” a wet-haired and hoarse Meier said as she sat down for her post-game remarks. She was battling a cold, strained her voice at shoot around, and drank hot tea with honey at halftime.
“This league is nuts, there’s no other way to say it,” Meier said. “You have to shoot 53 percent from the field, 44 percent from three, and 86 percent from the free throw line to win a nail biter at home. That’s how good Virginia Tech is.
“At halftime, the TV people were like, `We thought we were going to put Virginia Tech away.’ You don’t put Virginia Tech away. They don’t go away. They’re incredibly electric offensively. Holding them to 66 is like holding another team to 40.”
The Hokies (13-3, 3-3 ACC) were led by 2021-22 ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley, a 6-6 center who had 20 points and eight rebounds.
Meier praised her entire team but made special mention of Roberts.
“The story of the game, without any question, is this young lady right here,” she said, pointing to Roberts, who was seated beside her. “She’s no understudy. She’s been waiting her turn, waiting her turn, waiting her turn. She’s so confident right now and Jas is the most positive player on our team.”
Meier said Roberts uplifts her teammates, even when she is on the bench.
“She is the heart and soul that keeps everyone in it and her positivity kept her in it. She’s playing out of her mind. It’s what college athletics is supposed to be. You hang in there, don’t get as many minutes as a freshman as you’d like, and you go to work.”
Meier credited Roberts’ parents and her Jacksonville Bishop Kenny high school coach Charlea Clark for keeping her faithful and urging her to keep toiling.
Point guard Haley Cavinder added 19 points for Miami, including a clutch three to break a 60-60 tie, and four free throws in the final 37 seconds to seal the win. She had four assists and four rebounds. UM’s 6-6 freshman Kyla Oldacre added nine points and four rebounds in 14 minutes.
“Haley hit that monster three,” Meier said of the Fresno State transfer. “That wasn’t coaching. That was that kid finding that for herself. She’s leading. That’s not easy to do on a team that returned four starters. She gets a couple more looks when she’s in with her (twin) sister (Hanna). She’s demanding in huddles, yelling at people when they make mistakes, which is lovely. She is as competitive as any kid I have ever coached in my life, times 10.”
The Canes went into Sunday’s game with a boost of confidence following a 62-58 win on Thursday over No. 22 North Carolina.
“After we almost beat Notre Dame (a 66-63 loss to the No. 5 Irish on Dec. 29), we’re like, `We can play with anybody. We’re almost there. We’re this close,’’ Roberts said. “After that game is when we started getting more confident and jelling.”
Miami (10-6, 3-2 ACC) plays at Georgia Tech on Thursday.
This story was originally published January 8, 2023 at 4:22 PM.