Virginia Hosts Manhattan on Thursday

December 20, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (6-6, 0-0 ACC) concludes its non-conference schedule by hosting Manhattan (3-7, 0-0 MAAC) on Thursday, Dec. 21 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.

The Cavaliers are coming off a 2-0 showing at the West Palm Invitational tournament, picking up a 77-59 victory over Ohio and an 82-72 overtime win over Indiana. UVA had their highest rebounding differential of the season against Ohio at +29 (51-22) and were +8 (37-29) against Indiana, the best back-to-back rebounding performances of the year for the Cavaliers.

Sophomore center Felicia Aiyeotan (Lagos, Nigeria) and redshirt senior guard J’Kyra Brown (Rocky Mount, N.C.) each had career-best performances in the tournament. Aiyeotan had a career-high 14 rebounds against Ohio. It was the most rebounds in a game by a Cavalier since Lauren Moses had 14 at Boston College on Feb. 14, 2016. Aiyeotan had three blocked shots against Ohio. She currently leads the ACC with 33 blocked shots this season (2.75 per game). She ranks seventh in the country in total shots blocked and 14th in blocked shots per game.

Brown scored a career-high 24 points against Indiana. It was the first 20-point performance of the season for a Cavalier and the first since Jocelyn Willoughby scored 25 at St. Joseph’s in the opening round of last year’s WNIT. It was also the first 20-point performance by a Cavalier who came off the bench since Aiyeotan scored 23 points against Coppin State in the second game of the season last year (Nov. 13, 2016). Brown has scored in double figures in each of the last six games, averaging 15.3 points per game in that span. Brown has at least three treys in each of the last four games including going 4-of-4 from long range against UNCG and 4-of-5 against Ohio. She is shooting 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from long range in that span.

Senior forward Lauren Moses (Mount Holly, N.J.) scored a season-high 14 points against Indiana. Moses also had five steals against the Hoosiers, matching the single game high for a Cavalier player this season.

Senior guard Aliyah Huland El (Randolph, N.J.) matched her season high with 17 points against Ohio and matched her career high with 10 rebounds against Indiana.

Manhattan snapped a four-game losing streak with a dominant 72-38 victory over LIU Brooklyn on Saturday (Dec. 16). Last season, Manhattan went 8-22 overall and 4-16 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The Jaspers were picked to finish 10th in the league in the MAAC preseason poll

Courtney Warley was named this week’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Rookie of the Week. In her first collegiate start, she recorded her first career double-double, tallying 14 points and 12 rebounds (both career highs) against LIU Brooklyn. She shot 80.0 percent from the field and tallied two assists and two steals, as well. Her previous career high of four points and seven rebounds came on November 25 against Coppin State.

Center Kayla Grimme leads the Jaspers in points (15.5 per game) and rebounds (8.3). She scored the 1,000th point of her career earlier this season. Senior guard Amani Tatum was the 2015-16 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and the first Jasper ever to receive that award.

Virginia is 2-0 all-time against Manhattan. The last meeting was an 86-68 victory for the Cavaliers in their 2009-10 home opener. Monica Wright scored 31 points in the game, including 25 in the second half when she went 10-of-10 shooting.

Virginia will take six days off for the holidays and will return to action when it hosts Pittsburgh (6-5, 0-0 ACC) in both squads’ Atlantic Coast Conference opener next Thursday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.

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).