University of Louisville
VIRGINIA TECH
Women’s Basketball Welcomes Virginia Tech on Thursday
January 06, 2016 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals and Hokies tip on Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN3.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Two of the longest active winning streaks in the Atlantic Coast Conference collide on Thursday, when the University of Louisville women's basketball team welcomes Virginia Tech to the KFC Yum! Center at 7 p.m.
The Jan. 7 contest will air on ESPN3, with Don Russell (play-by-play) and Sara White (analyst) on the call. The radio broadcast will be available on WKRD 790 AM in Louisville, with Matt Andrews (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) calling the action.
Louisville (10-5, 2-0 ACC) has won seven-consecutive contests and is receiving votes in both major polls this week. The Cardinals are coming off a week in which it went 3-0, winning both ACC games.
Last time out, Louisville earned a 78-65 decision at Georgia Tech on Jan. 3. The Cardinals shot 50 percent from 3-point range (6-of-12) and connected on 24-of-34 free throws. Louisville won the rebounding battle 39-31 and held the Yellow Jackets to just 33.9 percent from the field.
Reigning ACC Player of the Week Mariya Moore scored a game- and season-best 25 points on 5-of-6 shooting. She hit 12-of-16 free throws, all in the fourth quarter. Myisha Hines-Allen tallied 19 points and eight rebounds, and Briahanna Jackson contributed 13 points, five assists, and four steals.
Moore, in a three-game stretch, averaged 18.7 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds. She shot 45.2 percent from the field, with a 52.9 percent stint from 3-point range, and connected on 76.0 percent of her free throw attempts. She finished the week with an impressive 3.3 assist-turnover ratio (20 assists to six turnovers).
Through 15 games, Hines-Allen is leading the team in scoring (15.3) and rebounding (7.7) behind a team-best 52.9 percent shooting. Jackson is second on the team in scoring (14.6), boasting a team-high 41 steals.
Virginia Tech has won 11-consecutive games, including its conference opener, with its last loss coming on Nov. 18 at Georgetown.
The Hokies (13-1, 1-0) began ACC play with a 58-33 victory at home over Boston College on Jan. 3. Virginia Tech shot 42.6 percent from the field and held Boston College to a 20.0 percent clip. The Hokies' defense also forced 24 turnovers and held the Eagles without a field goal in the third period. Notably, Boston College had 13 offensive rebounds, but only six second-chance points.
For Virginia Tech, Hannah Young scored a game-high 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, Chanette Hicks had 11 points, and Vanessa Panousis added 10. Regan Magarity had a solid all-around performance, with seven points, 10 rebounds, and five steals.
On the season, Panousis is leading the team in scoring (11.0) and has the second-most 3-pointers (39). Young is averaging 10.8 points, with a team-high 41 3s (47.7 3-point percentage), and Magarity is the top rebounder at 6.6 per game.
Nationally, Virginia Tech is first in scoring defense (45.3), second in field goal percentage defense (30.6), 14th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.249), and 15th in scoring margin (+18.9).
Virginia Tech is under the direction of fifth-year coach Dennis Wolff, who has led the program to a 56-80 mark. The Hokies were picked to finish 13th in the ACC preseason media poll.
For the latest information on Louisville women's basketball, log on to GoCards.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/UofLWBB or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UofLWBB.
SERIES HISTORY – Virginia Tech vs. Louisville
Louisville and Virginia Tech are facing each other for the 34th time in series history, with the Hokies holding a 17-16 advantage. The two programs often met as members of Metro Conference and Conference USA.
The Cardinals' victory last year in Blacksburg disrupted the Hokies' four-game winning streak in the series. Louisville, which had just 11 turnovers in the contest, shot 49 percent from the field and converted Virginia Tech's 18 turnovers into 21 points. The Cardinals' defense also stifled the Hokies to just 35.2 percent shooting.
Mariya Moore had 14 points, hitting four treys, and Shawnta' Dyer and Bria Smith came off the bench to add 15 points and 12 points, respectively, in the victory.
GAME FACTS – Virginia Tech at Louisville
Date: Thursday, Jan. 7
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Site: KFC Yum! Center/Crum Court (22,000), Louisville, Ky.
TV: ESPN3 will broadcast the game, with Don Russell (play-by-play) and Sara White (analyst) calling the action.
Radio: WKRD 790 AM will broadcast the game, with Matt Andrews (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) calling the action.
Series History: Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 17-16 (7-7 in Louisville, 10-6 in Blacksburg, 0-3 neutral). Louisville defeated Virginia Tech 69-49 on Feb. 19, 2015, in Blacksburg, Va.
Next UofL Game: Sunday, Jan. 10 vs. No. 18/16 Duke, KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., 1 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
