Virginia Hosts Florida State Sunday on National Girls and Women In Sports Day

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CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s basketball team hosts Florida State on Sunday (Jan. 29) as part of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., and the game will be televised by ESPNU (available online at www.ESPN3.com. The game can be heard over the airwaves on WINA 1070 AM in the Charlottesville area, and that broadcast, along with live statistics, can be accessed at VirginiaSports.com.

Virginia field hockey players Paige Selenski and Michelle Vittese will be honored on National Girls and Women in Sports Day at halftime of the Virginia-Florida State contest.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day brings national attention to the achievements of female athletes and to issues facing girls and women in sport. The event is co-sponsored by the University of Virginia Athletic Department and the University of Virginia Women’s Center.

Selenski (Shavertown, Pa.) and Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) were members of the United States’ first gold medal team in field hockey at the 2011 Pan American Games held in October in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Americans upset world No. 1 Argentina 4-2 in the championship match to automatically qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games. Both Cavaliers contributed with a goal apiece in the gold medal game.

It is also ACC Day at John Paul Jones Arena, and there will be ACC giveaways in the Kids’ Zone prior to the game. Selenski and Vittese will be available for autographs in the Kids’ Zone prior to the game. Virginia women’s basketball players will hold an autograph session after the game.

Virginia (15-7, 3-5 ACC) is 11-2 at home this season. The Cavaliers are coming off a 63-53 loss at Georgia Tech on Wednesday (Jan. 25) night. Ariana Moorer leads the team in scoring (12.6 points per game), followed by Ataira Franklin (12.3 points per game).

Lexie Gerson continues to make a name for herself as one of the top defensive players in the league. The Fort Washington, Pa., native has had at least four steals in 12 games this season. She ranks second in the conference and 19th in the nation in steals per game (3.2).

Virginia ranks second in the country in turnover margin (9.23). Virginia opponents have combined for 522 turnovers so far in 2011-12, while the Cavaliers have turned the ball over 319 times. Kentucky is the national leader in the category (11.52).

As a team, Virginia ranks second in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing opponents to score just 53.5 points per game (statistics as of Saturday, Jan. 28). That average ranks 23rd in the nation. The Wahoos have held 16 opponents to fewer than 60 points on the season.

Gerson is second in the ACC in steals per game (3.2), which ranks 19th in the country, while Moorer is right behind her with 2.6 steals per game (fourth in the ACC, 72nd in the nation). As a team, Virginia is second in the conference in steals per game (13.3).

Florida State (12-10, 4-4 ACC) is coming off a 67-64 victory at NC State on Friday (Jan. 27) night. Leonor Rodriguez hit a game-winning 3-pointer to lift the Seminoles to victory.

Cierra Bravard leads the team in scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounds (6.9 rpg), followed by Alexa Deluzio (13.5 ppg). Deluzio left the game vs. the Wolfpack in the first half with an injury and played two minutes in the second half.

Florida State has won the last four meetings in a series that dates back to 1990, but UVa holds an overall mark of 30-13 against the Seminoles. Last season, the teams met twice and FSU prevailed in Tallahassee (61-51) and in Charlottesville (78-74). The Cavaliers’ last victory over FSU at home was on Feb. 10, 2008 – 77-58 at John Paul Jones Arena.

Following Sunday’s game, Virginia heads to the state of North Carolina for a two-game road swing. The Cavaliers face North Carolina on Friday (Feb. 3) then head to Raleigh for a Sunday (Feb. 5) game at NC State.