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CHARLOTTESVILLE The Virginia women’s basketball team will ring in 2009 with a home contest against SEC foe Georgia on Friday, Jan. 2. Tip-off from John Paul Jones Arena is 7 p.m., and the game will air live on ESPNU with Krista Blunk and Dave Cohen calling the action.
Live audio is available through V Pass, and live statistics are available at VirginiaSports.com. The game will be broadcast over the airwaves on WINA 1070 AM in the Charlottesville area, with Jay James, Myron Ripley and Larry Johnson on the call.
Virginia (11-2) puts its undefeated home win streak of seven games on the line with the visit from the Lady Bulldogs (9-4). The Cavaliers are coming off a victory in the championship game of the Marriott Cavalier Classic over Louisiana Tech, 68-52. Virginia won its own tournament for the fifth-straight year with the win over the Lady Techsters and an 83-38 rout of Rider in its opening game.
The Cavaliers have won six-consecutive contests and are led by national player of the year candidate Monica Wright, who is averaging 21.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.9 steals per game. Lyndra Littles has returned to the line-up as well, and over four games has averaged 20.5 points (including a career-high 33 points vs. Louisiana Tech en route to tournament MVP honors).
Aisha Mohammed, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Dec. 10 and has missed the Cavs’ last four games, is expected to make her return against Georgia.
UVa already has one win over an SEC opponent under its belt this year, as it defeated Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena on Nov. 17, 83-82.
Georgia is led by Ashley Houts (12.2 points per game) and Angel Robinson (10.2 points, 8.8 rebounds per game). Head coach Andy Landers was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 (Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan was a 2008 inductee).
Virginia holds a 1-1 all-time record against Georgia. The team’s first meeting took place on Dec. 2, 1995, a 94-65 Cavalier victory at University Hall. The last meeting was on Dec. 3, 1996, a 77-56 Georgia win in Athens, Ga.
Following Friday’s game, Virginia hosts St. Francis (Pa.) in a non-conference tilt on Monday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m., before beginning ACC play on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 2 p.m. vs. Wake Forest.