Virginia Hosts Boston College Thursday in WNIT Third Round

Story Links

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s basketball team continues play in the 2011 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) Thursday (March 24) at John Paul Jones Arena vs. Boston College. Tip-off vs. the Eagles is scheduled for 7 p.m., and live statistics will be available at VirginiaSports.com.

Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $6 for youth, students and seniors. All tickets will be sold as general admission. Gates to John Paul Jones Arena will open at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online at VirginiaSports.com, by calling the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 542-UVA1 or in person at the John Paul Jones Arena box office beginning 90 minutes prior to tip-off.

Gameday parking will be available, free of charge, at the John Paul Jones Arena and University Hall parking lots.

The game will air live locally on WINA 1070 AM. That audio broadcast is available on the Internet with a subscription to Virginia Sports Online Radio.

Virginia (18-15, 5-9 ACC) earned an at-large berth to the 64-team postseason tournament and dispatched Morgan State, 69-56, in the first round. In the second round, the Cavaliers earned a 71-49 victory at Loyola (Md.). Ariana Moorer (9.5 points per game), Ataira Franklin (9.3 points per game) and Chelsea Shine (9.2 points per game) are the Cavaliers’ leading scorers.

Shine, Moorer and Franklin each scored 14 points in UVa’s victory at Loyola. The Cavaliers out-rebounded the Greyounds, 41-28, and shot 41 percent from the field (28-for-69).

Boston College has a 20-12 overall record and earned the ACC’s automatic berth to the WNIT with a 5-9 conference record.

Boston College defeated Yale in the first round, 85-61, and St. Joseph’s in the second round, 86-59.

Carolyn Swords averages 17.4 points and 9.3 rebounds to lead the BC offense. Stefanie Murphy adds 15.3 points per game and Kerri Shields contributes 11.2 points per game.

Virginia is 7-2 all-time vs. Boston College. In the regular-season meeting earlier this year, Boston College earned a 73-50 win at JPJA.

Virginia is making its fourth WNIT appearance (1980, 2006, 2007, 2011) and holds a 7-4 record in 11 games. UVa advanced to the WNIT quarterfinals in 2007 and 2006 and the semifinals in 1980.

The winner of Thursday’s game would face the winner of Charlotte vs. Florida (Thursday, 7 p.m., at Charlotte). The quarterfinal game would be on a date and at a venue to be determined.