20th-Ranked Cavaliers Set To Host Marriott Cavalier Classic Monday and Tuesday

Story Links

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The No. 20 Virginia women’s basketball team hosts the Marriott Cavalier Classic on Monday (Dec. 28) and Tuesday (Dec. 29) at John Paul Jones Arena. The tournament features Samford, Liberty and Cornell in addition to the host Cavaliers.

UVa faces Samford on Monday at 7 p.m., following the Liberty vs. Cornell match-up at 4:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the consolation game will be played at 4:30 p.m., followed by the championship game at 7 p.m.

Live statistics are available for all four games of the Marriott Cavalier Classic. Additionally, Virginia’s games will be broadcast over the airwaves on WINA 1070 in the Charlottesville area and on V Pass on VirginiaSports.com.

Virginia (7-3) is currently ranked No. 20 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches top 25 and No. 23 in the Associated Press top 25. The Cavaliers fell at No. 12 Georgia, 69-53, on Sunday (Dec. 20) in Athens, Ga.

In that game vs. the Lady Bulldogs, senior guard Monica Wright (Woodbridge, Va.) scored her 2,000th-career point, becoming just the third-ever Cavalier to do so. Wright is now in third place on Virginia’s all-time scoring list with 2,011 points and trails No. 2 Heather Burge (2,058 points) and No. 1 Dawn Staley (2,135 points). Wright was the 19th player in Atlantic Coast Conference history to pass the milestone.

Wright leads the team by averaging 20.5 points per game. She is followed by Whitny Edwards (8.7 ppg) and Chelsea Shine (8.6 ppg).

Samford (8-4) is coming off of a 55-47 loss at UNC Greensboro on Dec. 21. Emily London leads the team by averaging 13.8 points per game.

Liberty (6-2) lost to Auburn in its last outing, 70-64. Devon Brown averages 19.3 points per game to lead the Flames.

Cornell (5-4) fell to Miami, 101-62, on Dec. 21. Three Big Red players average double figures for points – Allie Fedorowicz (14.8 ppg), Virginia McMunigal (12.8 ppg) and Lauren Benson (10.0 ppg).

Virginia has captured 20 of the 23 Cavalier Classic team titles since the tournament began in 1976. Started as the precursor to the ACC Tournament, the Cavalier Classic’s official name has changed several times through the years.

The Cavaliers have won five-consecutive Marriott Cavalier Classic tournament titles, dating back to 2004. Last year, UVa defeated Louisiana Tech in the championship game, 68-52.

Following the tournament, Virginia travels to Colorado for a Jan. 2 game. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) and the game will be televised by Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain.