Virginia Hosts No. 15 Maryland in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

November 28, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (3-4) hosts No. 15 Maryland (5-2) in the 2017 Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.

All of the 2017-18 Virginia women’s basketball games – home and away – are available locally on the radio on NewsRadio 1070 AM and 98.9 FM WINA. The game will also stream live online as an ACC Network Extra production.

Security Information
– Virginia Athletics has implemented a clear bag policy and enhanced security procedures for home football and men’s and women’s basketball games. The changes in policy and entrance procedures are a result of recommendations for large-scale events held on Grounds by the University of Virginia’s security consultant.
– All bags entering John Paul Jones Arena for home men’s and women’s basketball games must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and cannot exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″. Clear, one-gallon plastic freezer bags (Ziploc bags or similar) are also permitted.
– Additionally, all fans entering the arena will be screened upon entry, typically with walk-through and hand-held metal detectors.
– Click here to read the full bag policy and description of game day entry procedures.

This will be the first time Virginia and Maryland have met since the Terrapins left the ACC for the Big Ten. The last time the two faced one another it was as conference opponents on Jan. 23, 2014 when an unranked UVA team upset No. 6 Maryland 86-72 at John Paul Jones Arena. Kelsey Wolfe scored 24 points and Ataira Franklin and Faith Randolph each scored 19. Maryland’s Alyssa Thomas scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Virginia leads the all-time series 44-37. The Terps two losses this season have come against South Carolina (94-86) and UConn (97-72).

Virginia is looking for its first win in the challenge since 2012, after having lost in each of the last four years to Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Northwestern. This is the 10th different opponent UVA has faced in the challenge.

Virginia is trying to rebound after a 74-63 loss to Duquesne in the finale of the Cavalier Classic tournament on Sunday. Duquesne led by 12 points early in the fourth quarter, but the Cavaliers cut it to a four-point deficit, 67-63, in the final 40 seconds of the game after back-to-back threes from senior guard Aliyah Huland El (Randolph, N.J.). UVA missed its final two shots of the game, two more three-point attempts from Huland El, while Duquesne made seven free throws in the final 37 seconds to close out the game.

Redshirt senior guard J’Kyra Brown (Rocky Mount, N.C.) scored a season-high 15 points against Duquesne. It was her first double-digit scoring effort of the season. Brown scored in double digits 14 times last season.

Sophomore center Felicia Aiyeotan (Lagos, Nigeria) is leading the Cavaliers in rebounding. Aiyeotan is averaging 6.4 boards per game in under 20 minutes per contest. Last season, Aiyeotan averaged 3.7 per game and 4.2 through the end of the non-conference schedule.

Sophomore guard Jocelyn Willoughby (East Orange, N.J.), who led the team in rebounding last season, is second at 5.0 per game. She had seven O-boards on Saturday against Harvard. Willoughby is 10th in the ACC in steals with 14 (2.0 per game)

The Cavaliers are closing in on the 900th win in program history coming into the game with an 899-444 record in the 45 years of Virginia women’s basketball.

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).