Cavaliers Down Alaska Anchorage in Exhibition, 69-57

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Behind a game-high 24 points from senior Chelsea Shine, the Virginia women’s basketball team downed Alaska Anchorage 69-57 Saturday in an exhibition game at John Paul Jones Arena.

Sophomore Ataira Franklin tallied 13 points and contributed seven rebounds, while junior Simone Egwu led all players with a game-high 11 rebounds. Junior China Crosby added eight points and nine assists, while sophomore Kelsey Wolfe finished with seven points.

The Cavaliers shot 43 percent from the field (27-of-63), including a solid 50 percent (17-of-34) in the first half alone.

Alaska Anchorage, ranked No. 12 in the USA Today/ESPN Division II preseason top 25, came back from a 13-point halftime deficit and tied the game at 45 on a 3-point baskett from Tijera Mathews with 12:32 to play in the game.

The Seawolves then went up 47-45 on a pair of free throws by Bruna Diechmann, but Virginia tied the game back up on a Crosby jumper. A Mathews trey with 9:48 to play gave Alaska Anchorage the lead back, 50-47. Shine then scored the next five points for the Cavaliers to put them up 52-50; the Seawolves would never regain the lead.

The Cavaliers led 59-50 at the six-minute mark and held on for the 69-57 win.

Mathews led Alaska Anchorage with 13 points and Hanna Johansson added 11 and a team-best nine boards.

Virginia jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first 1:22 before the Seawolves matched the score to tie the game. Alaska Anchorage took a 9-11 lead on a 3-point basket from Gritt Ryder but the Cavaliers tied the game again on a jumper by Kelsey Wolfe that sparked a 12-0 run.

Virginia led by as many as 15 points in the first half with four minutes to play and led 42-29 at the break.

The Cavaliers tip off the 2011-12 campaign Friday with a 7 p.m. contest with Appalachian State at John Paul Jones Arena.