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Jan. 20, 2007
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THIS WEEK
Virginia returns home to John Paul Jones Arena on Monday, Jan. 22 for a 7 p.m. game with intra-state rival Virginia Tech in the teams’ first meeting of the Commonwealth Challenge series. The Regional Sports Network (Fox Sports Net South, Comcast Sports Net, SunSports, and New England Sports Network) will televise the game. The Cavaliers then hit the road for two ACC games. The first stop is NC State on Thursday, Jan. 25 for a 7 p.m. contest.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH
The Hokies, under the guidance of third-year head coach Beth Dunkenberger, stand 12-8 overall and 2-3 in ACC play after a 74-34 win at Wake Forest on Jan. 18. Senior guard Kirby Copeland is the team scoring leader with 14.8 ppg, while senior center Nare Diawara follows with 12.1 ppg and a team-best 8.3 rpg.
SERIES VS. HOKIES
Virginia stands 28-9 against Tech since the teams first met in 1974. Last season, the teams split the two-game ACC series with each team winning on the road. The Cavaliers upset No. 18/23 Virginia Tech, 78-59 in Blacksburg, while the Hokies claimed a 65-54 win at U-Hall.
COMMONWEALTH CHALLENGE
Last season, Virginia and intra-state rival Virginia Tech added a new dimension to their long-time rivalry. The Commonwealth Challenge is a comprehensive competition involving teams in the two schools’ athletics programs. With Comcast’s support, it is designed to increase the exposure and interest level in the various sports, while promoting good sportsmanship among student-athletes, coaches, and fans of the schools. A point system determines the actual winner of the competition. The trophy is symbolic of the foundation and history of both schools. The Old Virginia red brick and Hokie stone are the physical foundations of the buildings, which make both universities special. Similarly, the traveling plaques encompass the Commonwealth Challenge logo and has space for each school’s logo to be attached based on the year’s competitions. The winning school, for each sport, will keep the plaque until the next competition.
The Cavaliers and Hokies meet twice in women’s basketball. Each game is worth one point in the Commonwealth Challenge tally. Virginia, which captured the inaugural Commonwealth Challenge Trophy in 2006, holds a 4.5 to 2.5 lead in the current standings.
LAST OUTING
Virginia dropped a 95-68 decision at No. 3/3 Maryland on Friday evening at the Comcast Center.
Sophomore Lyndra Littles (Washington, D.C.) paced the Cavaliers with a career-high 23 points. Senior Siedah Williams followed with 12 points, while freshmen Monica Wright (Woodbridge, Va.) and Paulisha Kellum (Upper Marlboro, Md.) added 10 points each. Junior Sharneé Zoll (Marlboro, N.J.) dished out a season-high 11 assists. Overall, UM out-rebounded UVa, 49-32.
IN THE STATISTICS
After 18 contests, sophomore Lyndra Littles leads the Cavaliers with 16.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Freshman Monica Wright follows with 13.8 ppg, while junior Sharneé Zoll adds 11.7 ppg and 103 assists. UVa out-scores its opponents by +4.9 points and out-rebounds its foes by +1.6 boards.
In ACC games only, three Cavaliers are averaging double figures. Littles leads UVa in scoring with 16.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg, while Wright follows with 13.8 ppg. Zoll is third with 10.5 ppg.