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Virginia Cavaliers (15-10, 5-7 ACC) at Pittsburgh Panthers (17-8, 7-5 ACC)
Date and Time Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, 7 p.m.
Location Pittsburgh, Pa. | Peterson Events Center
Media | Listen Live |
ESPN3 Live Streaming Video
Additional Information Ticket Information | Game Notes(.pdf) | 2014-15 Season Stats | ExperienceUVaWomensBasketball | 2014-15 Record Book (.pdf)
Social Media @UVaWBBHoops Twitter | Facebook | VirginiaWBB Instagram

Feb. 18, 2015

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (15-10, 5-7 ACC) plays at Pittsburgh (17-8, 7-5 ACC) on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center.

Live streaming video will be available online on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. The game will also be broadcast on the radio on WINA-1070 AM with Channing Poole and Chelsea Shine calling the action.

Pitt is coming off a dominant defensive performance Sunday at Wake Forest, winning 65-41, the fourth time this season that an opponent failed to score 50 points against Pitt. Briana Kiesel had her 13th 20-point game of the season, scoring 22 against the Deacons. Kiesel is fourth in the ACC, averaging 18.1 points per game and also leads the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.67) and steals per game (2.36) and ranks second in free throw efficiency (87.8 percent).

Teams are averaging 58.9 points per game against Pitt, with teams shooting just 35.7 percent against them, second-lowest percentage in the ACC and 23rd lowest in the nation. Pitt leads the conference in fewest turnovers per game (13.9). Virginia is now second (14.0).

Pitt is currently tied for seventh place in the ACC with North Carolina. Virginia is tied for ninth with NC State.

The all-time series between the two schools is tied 2-2.

Pitt is 1-0 in ACC games against UVa, earning a 79-75 victory last year at JPJ. In last year’s game, Faith Randolph (Derwood, Md.) finished with 21 points for the Cavaliers, going 7-of-10 from the field and 6-of-7 from the stripe while adding five rebounds and two steals, before fouling out in the final minute of the contest. Kiesel scored 26 points, going 9-of-9 from the free throw line and 8-of-16 from the field, adding seven assists, three rebounds and three steals. The Panthers made 10-of-21 three-point attempts, going 5-of-9 in the second half.

Virginia is trying to snap a three-game slide that includes losses to No. 4 Notre Dame (75-54), No. 11 Duke (71-45) and No. 7 Florida State (65-56). Virginia is 5-2 against unranked ACC teams and 0-5 against ranked conference squads.

In Sunday’s loss to Florida State, the Cavaliers were 8-of-19 from three-point range (42.1 percent), the eighth time this season the team shot 40 percent or better from three-point range. UVa hits six (of 10) three-point shots in the first half.

Freshman guard Mikayla Venson (Arlington, Va.) went 5-of-9 from three-point range against the Seminoles, the fourth time this season she made five or more three-pointers in a game. Venson did not take a two-point shots, the third time this season that all of her field goal attempts came from beyond the arc.

Freshman guard Aliyah Huland El (Randolph, N.J.) took advantage of her first career start against FSU by scoring a season-high 14 points. It was Huland El’s first double-digit scoring performance since putting up 12 points against Wake Forest on Jan. 8.

Sophomore guard Sydney Umeri (Acworth, Ga.) played a career-high 34 minutes against Florida State, scoring seven points with five rebounds. It was the second time in the last three games that Umeri scored seven points, matching her output at Notre Dame.

Virginia’s starting forwards, senior Sarah Imovbioh (Abuja, Nigeria) and freshman Lauren Moses (Mount Holly, N.J.), who were in foul trouble for much of the FSU game, combined for just nine points and two rebounds. Moses played 19 minutes while Imovbioh was on the floor for 18. Imovbioh’s two rebounds were her fewest since she had that same tally last season at NC State (2/23/14). The Cavaliers are 1-4 in their last four road games.

Virginia returns home on Sunday, Feb. 22, hosting Virginia Tech at 1 p.m. The game is part of the Commonwealth Clash presented by Virginia529, which is a head-to-head, points-based competition between the athletic teams at Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Commonwealth Clash encourages a friendly, statewide rivalry between the two schools across all school-sponsored sports with 21 individual event points on the line. Fans are also encouraged to support their team through a fan-based point. The school that accumulates 11.5 points or more will be crowned the winner and take home the Virginia529 Commonwealth Clash trophy. A half-point is at stake in Sunday’s game. Currently, the Cavaliers lead the Hokies, 5.5-2.5 with an additional point on the line this week at the ACC swimming and diving championships.

Single-game ticket prices for all home games are $10 for Reserved seating, $8 for adult General Admission and $6 for youth (18 & under), senior (60 & over) and UVa faculty/staff General Admission. Fans may purchase home game tickets through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office online at VirginiaSports.com, by phone and in person. The Virginia Athletics Ticket Office is located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).

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