After a tumultuous offseason, UVA women's basketball will open its season tonight against Maryland -Eastern Shore. Coach Aaron Roussell will make his debut at John Paul Jones Arena, as will a largely revamped roster with a number of new faces.
The visiting Hawks are unlikely to pose much of a threat to the Cavaliers, but season debuts are not always predictable affairs. Virginia, at least, still has senior guard Kymora Johnson, one of the best guards in college basketball who will be a dependable offensive fulcrum as the team shakes off any rust and finds its rhythm.
Like the Cavaliers, UMES also has a very different roster than last season. After going 20-15, the Hawks lost their four leading scorers to graduation, and are banking extensively on internal development allowing players like sophomore guard Desi Taylor and junior guard Jaida Cameron burgeoning into stars.
While still a very new team after moving on from Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton after a Sweet 16 appearance, Virginia retained its superstar in Johnson, as well as a reliable center in senior Tabitha Amanze, and rotation players in junior forwards Adeang Ring and Breona Hurd plus senior guard Olivia McGhee.
While Amanze is still recovering from injury, the Cavaliers are likely to start an offense led by Johnson and an exciting transfer portal add in senior guard Mary-Anna Asare. After her junior season was cut short by injury, Asare transferred from VCU, and looks to be an interesting backcourt partner for Johnson, as a talented scorer and driver of the basketball and good defensive playmaker on the perimeter.
With Amanze out, rebounding and interior defense duties will likely fall on Ring, who had an inconsistent first year in Charlottesville, but proved to be an imposing interior defender and solid rebounder. At 6-foot-4, sophomore forward and Florida transfer Caterina Piatti could also rise to the occasion in a change of scenery, as a solid rebounder and transition threat who represented Italy at the U18 level.
With four first years on the roster, Monday's season opener will also be an opportunity for Roussell and his staff to begin ironing out rotations and testing out how players will adapt to his system.
The Cavaliers will open their season with three games in one week, facing Davidson Thursday and William & Mary Sunday. Their first fixture against a high-major opponent will not be until Nov. 23, when they face No. 21 Oklahoma in Jacksonville, Fla.
Final score prediction:80-49 UVA
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/virginia as Virginia WBB vs Maryland Eastern Shore: Game Preview and Final Score Prediction .
