Georgia, Virginia Women's Basketball Teams Prepare for March Madness Clash

Young Bulldogs squad led by Iowa native coach faces off against resurgent Cavaliers program

Mar. 21, 2026 at 3:36am

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The Iowa women's basketball team could potentially face one of two Power Four teams from down south in seventh-seeded Georgia and tenth-seeded Virginia. While the former features a young roster and an Iowa native for head coach, the latter boasts a homegrown talent leading a team yet to achieve its potential.

Why it matters

This matchup between Georgia and Virginia represents an intriguing clash of styles and storylines, as the Bulldogs' youthful roster led by an Iowa-born coach takes on a Cavaliers squad looking to continue its resurgence under a new head coach. The outcome could have significant implications for the March Madness tournament.

The details

Georgia is led in scoring by second-year guard Dani Carnegie with 18.1 points per game, followed by fellow sophomore Mia Woolfolk with 13.1. Despite the relative inexperience, Georgia sits 22-9 overall. Virginia is 1-0 so far in the tournament after a 57-55 victory over Arizona State, with junior guard Kymora Johnson leading the way with 17 points. Johnson leads Virginia in points (19 per game), assists (5.9 per game), and steals (2.2 per game).

  • The Georgia-Virginia matchup is set for Saturday, March 21, at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
  • Georgia head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson last visited Carver-Hawkeye Arena in March 2023, when her team lost to Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Dani Carnegie

A second-year guard for Georgia, leading the team in scoring with 18.1 points per game.

Mia Woolfolk

A sophomore forward for Georgia, averaging 13.1 points per game.

Kymora Johnson

A junior guard for Virginia, leading the team in points (19 per game), assists (5.9 per game), and steals (2.2 per game).

Katie Abrahamson-Henderson

The head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, hailing from Iowa and a former player for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Amaka Agugua-Hamilton

The head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, who has led the team's resurgence after four consecutive losing seasons.

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What they’re saying

“Yes, our age comes into effect in some things, but at the end of the day we're just basketball players.”

— Mia Woolfolk, Georgia Bulldogs sophomore forward

“At our peak, we're unstoppable. I just feel like when everybody's on one and clicking at the same time, it's hard to guard. We just know what we have.”

— Dani Carnegie, Georgia Bulldogs sophomore guard

“That's what kind of kid she is. She knew we needed a big moment, we needed a big shot and she put the team on her back.”

— Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, Virginia Cavaliers head coach

“She wants to make the right basketball play all the time. So if she draws two [defenders] or three, or people are in gaps, she wants to set her teammates up. She enjoys that part of the game more than scoring.”

— Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, Virginia Cavaliers head coach

“Obviously, we want to be playing our best basketball right now. Tomorrow's not promised. I think every game now we have an opportunity to reach that. I think our kids are getting hungrier. They're understanding what it takes to win in March and they're understanding that we have what it takes.”

— Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, Virginia Cavaliers head coach

What’s next

The winner of the Georgia-Virginia matchup will advance to face the winner of the Iowa-TBD game in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This clash between the young, up-and-coming Georgia Bulldogs and the resurgent Virginia Cavaliers program represents an intriguing battle of styles and storylines, with the potential to have a significant impact on the March Madness tournament. The outcome could hinge on the performance of the teams' respective star players, Dani Carnegie and Kymora Johnson, and the ability of the coaches, Katie Abrahamson-Henderson and Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, to guide their squads to victory.