Freshman Edwards impresses for Cavs

Prior to the season, Debbie Ryan expected Whitny Edwards to struggle in her transition to college basketball.

Oddly enough, just weeks later the Virginia women’s basketball coach was shocked by a failure in the rookie’s game.

Edwards, who enters today’s home game against East Carolina as the team’s third-leading scorer, has progressed that much.

“I thought that she had a lot of potential, but I had no idea that she would tap into this potential this early,” Ryan said. “I think that she has been such a steady player for us that it actually surprised me when she missed a few shots.”

Edwards struggled on Thursday as Virginia routed Illinois 63-39 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The rookie made just one of her six shots from the field and was limited to just 13 minutes.

Another rookie, point guard Ariana Moorer, picked up the slack, tallying 18 points and a game-best 14 rebounds.

There will be contest such as that for Edwards, but Ryan has instructed the long-range specialist to continue to shoot from the outside.

“She is just a real calm player, a lot like her father,” Ryan said of Edwards, the daughter of former NBA journeyman Blue Edwards. “She has this calmness about her that is way beyond her years. She stepped up in the Marquette game and I even put her up there for a technical.

“She gets to the line and she hits them. She is warmed up, she is ready to go, so put her there.”

Some rookies have a tendency to shy away from taking big shots in big games. That is not the case with Edwards, for better or worse.

Thus far, she is averaging 9.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and ranks third on the team in steals.

“She really understands the game and when she is open she shoots,” Ryan said. “She understands that is her job and she goes out and she does it.”

Virginia (6-2) and Edwards will open an eight-game stretch at home today against the Pirates (4-2). More importantly, the homestand could mark the return of forward Lyndra Littles to the team.

It is expected that Littles will rejoin the team shortly after the grades from final exams are recorded and possibly in time for the Dec. 18 contest with Monmouth.