Story Links
Nov. 30, 2000
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Virginia enters tonight’s game at Virginia Tech with a 4-2 overall record and a two-game winning streak. The Cavaliers are currently ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press poll and No. 17 in the USA Today/ESPN poll. Virginia opened the season with two home victories over Mount St. Mary’s (100-61) and George Washington (72-66), but lost in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT to No. 8 Louisiana Tech (72-59) at West Lafayette, Indiana. The Cavaliers lost in double overtime to Texas (56-55) in the consolation game. Virginia has won its last two games over Loyola (67-46) and Saint Francis (116-63).
Virginia Tech enters the game with a 3-1 overall record. The Hokies won their first two games at home over Liberty (72-51) on November 17 and James Madison (78-60) on November 21. Virginia Tech recently participated in the Tallahassee Democrat/Seminole Classic and split its two games. The Hokies defeated Michigan State (50-36) in the first round, but lost to Florida State (77-57) in the championship game. Tonight’s game marks the 30th meeting between the two teams and Virginia leads the series, 24-5.
No. 20 Virginia (4-2, 0-0 ACC)vs.Virginia Tech (3-1, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Nov. 30, 2000 — 7:00 p.m. — Cassell Coliseum — Blacksburg, Va.
Radio: WINA 1070 AM
TV: None
SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH
The Hokies enter the contest against Virginia with a 3-1 overall record. Virginia Tech won its first three games of the season, but lost on November 26 to Florida State (77-57). Two players are currently averaging in double figures in scoring. Tere Williams is leading Virginia Tech in scoring with 14.5 points per game and Sarah Hicks is averaging 10.0. Williams is also the leading rebounder with 7.0 per game. The senior forward has scored in double figures in all four games and registered a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against James Madison. Bonnie Henrickson is in her fourth year as the head coach at Virginia Tech. A year ago, she led the Hokies to a 20-11 record and an appearance in the WNIT. Henrickson has an overall record of 70-24 at Virginia Tech.
CAVALIERS vs. HOKIES
Virginia and Virginia Tech have played 29 games and the Cavaliers have a 24-5 advantage in the series. The last time that the teams played was on December 20, 1999 and the Cavaliers defeated Virginia Tech, 67-62, in Charlottesville, Va.
LARUE EARNS ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Schuye LaRue was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week on November 27, marking the second consecutive week that a Cavalier has won the award. Telisha Quarles earned the award on November 20. LaRue averaged 20.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in the Cavaliers two games and registered two double-doubles. In the victory at Loyola, the sophmore forward scored 10 of Virginia’s first 12 points and led the Cavaliers with 20 points in the first half. LaRue finished with a season-high 26 points, shot 70.6 percent (12-17) from the field, and added five steals, two assists, and one blocked shot.
VIRGINIA IN THE POLLS
Virginia finished the 1999-2000 season ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll and No. 14 in the USA Today/ESPN poll. The Cavaliers were ranked for nine weeks a year ago, despite breaking their streak in the Top 25 that had started in 1984. Virginia had been ranked a total of 281 consecutive weeks in either the AP or USA Today poll, before falling out of the Top 25 a year ago. The streak started on January 8, 1984 and the Cavaliers had been ranked 15 consecutive seasons before dropping out of the Top 25 in November 1999. Virginia returned to the polls on January 24, 2000. The Cavaliers were ranked number one in the Associated Press poll for a total of 24 weeks in 1991 and 1992.
RECORD AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Virginia is 0-1 against ranked opponents this season after losing to No. 8 Louisiana Tech (72-59) in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT on November 19 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Virginia has three teams ranked in this week’s Top 25 on its schedule this season, including two contests against No. 3 Duke and No. 22 N.C. State.
CENTURY MARK
Virginia has scored over 100 points in two games this season. The Cavaliers opened the 2000-01 season with a powerful offensive performance, scoring 100 points in the victory over Mount St. Mary’s on November 10. Virginia scored 116 points in the win over Saint Francis on November 17. The Cavaliers’ scoring performance was the third highest total ever in a single game for a Virginia team. The most points ever scored by a Virginia women’s team was 123 in a triple overtime victory at N.C. State on January 12, 1991. Virginia scored 120 points against Cleveland State on November 29, 1995.
BOMBS AWAY
Virginia shot 64.7 percent from three-point range in the 116-63 win over Saint Francis on November 27. The Cavaliers connected on 11-of-17 as Svetlana Volnaya and Telisha Quarles each scored three from behind the arc. Virginia shot 63.6 percent (7-11) in the first half and 66.7 (4-6) in the second half in the victory over the Red Flash. Senior Katie Tracy and freshman Chelsea Whitaker each added two three-point field goals.
OVERTIME
The Cavaliers are 0-1 in overtime games this season. Virginia’s loss to Texas on November 20 marked the first overtime game since February 7, 2000 when the Cavaliers lost at North Carolina, 66-63. The game was tied at 52-52 at the end of the first overtime and sent the contest into a second period, marking the first double overtime game for the Cavaliers since January 20, 2000 when Virginia won at Clemson, 77-74. Virginia has a 10-8 overall record in overtime games, and is 1-2 in double overtime contests, and 2-0 in triple overtime.
MAKE IT A DOUBLE
Two Virginia players have registered double figures in both scoring and rebounding in a single game four times this season. Schuye LaRue recorded three consecutive double-doubles this season and has a career total of 12. The junior forward scored 16 points and grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds against Louisiana Tech (Nov. 19). She followed that performance with 15 points and 12 rebounds against Texas (Nov. 20). LaRue netted a season-high 26 points and added 11 rebounds at Loyola (Nov. 25). Chalois Lias recorded the first Virginia double-double of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds against George Washington (Nov. 12).
PRESEASON WNIT
The Cavaliers finished fourth in the 16-team single-elimination Preseason National Invitation Tournament after defeating Mount St. Mary’s (100-61) and George Washington (72-66) in the first two rounds, but losing in the semifinals to No. 8 Louisiana Tech (72-59). Virginia lost in double overtime to Texas (56-55) in the consolation game. Seven 2000 NCAA Tournament participants, and three teams that played in the 2000 Postseason WNIT, were featured in the Preseason WNIT. Three of the four teams that advanced to the final four of the WNIT were ranked and two were in the Top 10. Louisiana Tech defeated No. 4 Purdue (68-63) to win the tournament. The Preseason WNIT marked the earliest start in school history for the Virginia women’s program and the Cavaliers first appearance ever in the tournament.
QUARLES NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Telisha Quarles was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week on November 20 after averaging 16.7 points in the Cavaliers first three preseason WNIT games. The junior guard also recorded 11 assists and seven steals. Quarles shot 38 percent from the field, connecting on 17-of-45 attempts, and 37 percent from behind the arc, hitting 10-of-17 attempts. She led Virginia in the 72-66 win over George Washington with 17 points and five assists.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Schuye LaRue was named to the Preseason WNIT All-Tournament Team after averaging 12.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in Virginia’s four games. The sophomore forward registered two double-doubles during the tournament and recorded six blocks, seven assists, and 12 steals. In the 56-55 double overtime loss to Texas, she finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, five steals, two blocks, and two assists in 40 minutes. Her basket with three seconds remaining tied the score at 44-44 and sent the game into the first overtime. LaRue led the Cavaliers against Louisiana Tech with 16 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and three assists.
BLOCK PARTY
Virginia registered a season-high eight blocked shots in the loss to Texas on Nov. 20 and are currently averaging 5.2 per game. Seniors Elena Kravchenko and Chalois Lias each recorded three blocks and sophomore Schuye LaRue added two against the Longhorns. The Cavaliers’ frontcourt had seven blocked shots in the win over George Washington on Nov. 12, led by Lias’ three. Virginia recorded six blocked shots in the win over Mount St. Mary’s on Nov. 10.
SPARK OFF THE BENCH
Chalois Lias has provided a spark off the bench for the Cavaliers this season, and is currently averaging 11.4 points and 24.8 minutes. The senior forward is currently second on the team in rebounding (6.4) and is leading the team with 10 blocked shots. She scored a career-high 17 points in 22 minutes against St. Francis on November 27. Lias came off the bench against George Washington on Nov. 12 to register Virginia’s first double-double of the season, scoring 11 points and pulling down 14 rebounds.
IRON WOMAN
Senior captain Katie Tracy joined the women’s basketball team in West Lafayette, Indiana, less than 24 hours after finishing her collegiate career with the Virginia women’s soccer team. The starting midfielder for the Cavaliers’ soccer team was in Chapel Hill, N.C. on November 18 playing the University of North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament prior to traveling to Indiana for the Preseason WNIT. Virginia’s soccer team lost to North Carolina, 2-1, in an evening game, and Tracy was on an airplane the next morning. She joined the basketball team on November 19, arriving at 12:15 p.m. and played 16 minutes against Louisiana Tech in a game that started at 2:00 p.m. Tracy registered two points, two rebounds, and one assist, and had not practiced one minute with the women’s basketball team prior to the game.
BALANCED SCORING
Four players are currently averaging double figures in scoring for Virginia, led by sophomore forward Schuye LaRue’s 15.3 points per game. Svetlana Volnaya is second on the team in scoring with an average of 13.5 points per game. Telisha Quarles is averaging 13.2 points. The Virginia frontcourt has three players averaging double figures in scoring. In addition to LaRue and Volnaya, Chalois Lias is fourth on the team in scoring with 11.4 points per game. Three different players have led the team in scoring in the six games this season.
HOT SHOTS
Virginia has showcased a number of offensive weapons this season with five players scoring in double figures in two games. In the 116-63 victory over Saint Francis (Nov. 27), the starters combined for 62 points and the bench accounted for 54 as five players registered double figures. Five players, including four starters, registered double figures in the 100-61 win over Mount St. Mary’s on November 10. The three starters in the frontcourt combined for 44 of the Cavaliers’ 100 points. The Virginia bench accounted for 31 points. Four players scored in double figures for Virginia in the win over George Washington. The starters accounted for 48 of the Cavaliers’ 72 points, but the reserves added 24.
COLD SHOOTING
Virginia entered the consolation game against Texas on November 20 averaging 77.0 points per game, but were held to only 55 points in a game that included two overtime periods. Both teams hit a cold streak in their offensive production. The Cavaliers connected on only 29 percent (20-67) from the field, and the Longhorns shot only 25 percent (17-68). Texas shot only 17.2 percent in the first half of the game, connecting on five-of-29 attempts.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Cavaliers have a record of 313-56 (.848) in games played at University Hall, including a 3-0 mark this season. A year ago, Virginia registered a 16-1 record at home and averaged 3,004 fans per game. During the 1990’s, the women’s basketball team posted a record of 137-15 in University Hall.
TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Dean’na Mitchelson, Svetlana Volnaya, and Katie Tracy will serve as team captains for the 2000-01 season. Mitchelson averaged 3.2 points and 3.3 rebounds a year ago, and matched or recorded career-highs in every stat category. Volnaya scored 20 or more points in seven games last season and earned Kodak Honorable Mention All-America honors. Tracy, who also plays on the UVa women’s soccer team, averaged 1.3 points and 8.7 minutes in 31 games last season.
VIRGINIA IN THE PRESEASON PUBLICATIONS
The Cavaliers were ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation in a number of preseason women’s basketball publications. Listed below are the preseason publication rankings for Virginia:
LARUE NAMED NAISMITH PRESEASON CANDIDATE
Sophomore forward Schuye LaRue was named as one of the preseason candidates for the 2000-01 Naismith College Women’s Basketball Player of the Year Award. The Naismith Awards program, founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, annually honors the top male and female college basketball players in the nation. Preseason candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists, and basketball analysts. The women’s Naismith Award was first presented in 1983 and former Cavalier Dawn Staley was a two-time honoree winning in 1991 and 1992.
LARUE AND VOLNAYA EARN PRESEASON ALL-ACC HONORS
Svetlana Volnaya and Schuye LaRue were named to the 2000-01 Preseason All-Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball team announced at the annual ACC Media Day on October 22. LaRue led the Cavaliers in scoring (14.1 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg) a year ago and was named ACC Rookie of the Year. The sophomore forward also earned All-ACC Second-Team honors and was Virginia’s first freshman to be named a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American. She was also the first Virginia freshman since the 1982 season to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding.
Volnaya returns for her senior season after being named a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American a year ago. The senior forward averaged 13.8 points per game and ranked seventh in the ACC in scoring. Volnaya was second in the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (42.9) and fifth in free throw shooting (75.5). She was named to the All-ACC First Team in 1999-2000.
PRESEASON STREET & SMITH ALL-AMERICAN
Schuye LaRue was named to the Street & Smith Preseason All-American Team. The sophomore forward was the only representative from the Atlantic Coast Conference on the All-American Team.
Joining LaRue on the All-American team were Svetlana Abrosimova and Sue Bird of Connecticut, Tamika Catchings of Tennessee, Katie Douglas of Purdue, Marie Ferdinand of LSU, ShaRae Mansfield of Western Kentucky, Kelly Miller of Georgia, Jackie Stiles of Southwest Missouri, and LaToya Thomas of Mississippi State.
HONORS CANDIDATES
Three starters return from last year’s Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship team and each one is an All-American candidate. Schuye LaRue, Svetlana Volnaya, and Telisha Quarles combined to score 40.6 points per game and 15.0 rebounds last season. LaRue and Volnaya were Kodak Honorable Mention All-Americans last year and both were selected to the Preseason All-ACC team for 2000-01. Quarles set the school record for three-point field goals in a season (63) last year. The junior guard averaged 15.5 points per game against ranked opponents in 1999-00.
TAYLOR JOINS THE COACHING STAFF
Tim Taylor, who served as assistant coach at Furman University the past two seasons, joins the Virginia coaching staff in 2000-01. He replaces long-time assistant Shawn Campbell who left to join Dawn Staley’s staff at Temple.
Taylor, a 1989 graduate of James Madison University, was the recruiting coordinator at Furman and brought in two Top 50 recruiting classes to the Paladin program. Furman finished second in the Southern Conference during the regular season a year ago, won the conference tournament, and received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. From 1995-98, Taylor was the head coach for girls basketball and softball at Woodbridge High School in Woodbridge, Va. Taylor began his coaching career as the assistant boys and girls basketball coach at Madison County (Va.) High School.