Fourth-Seeded Cavaliers Travel to No. 1 Seed Villanova for WBIT Second Round

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 4 seed Virginia (16-15) continues postseason play as the Cavaliers head to No. 1 seed Villanova (19-12) on Sunday (March 24) for the second round of the inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). Tipoff from Finneran Pavilion is set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.

A WIN FOR THE CAVALIERS WOULD…

• Give Virginia back-to-back postseason victories for the first time since the 2016 WNIT, when UVA advanced to the round of 16.
• Assure the Hoos of an overall winning record for the first time since 2017-18.
• Mark Virginia’s fifth victory in its last seven contests.

VIRGINIA’S POSTSEASON HISTORY AT A GLANCE

• This year marks Virginia’s 35th overall postseason appearance.
• The Cavaliers have appeared in 25 NCAA Tournaments, eight WNITs, and once in both the AIAW and WBIT.

SERIES HISTORY

• Villanova leads the all-time series against UVA, 2-1.
• Sunday’s meeting marks the first between the two teams in over 35 years.
• The previous head-to-head contest occurred on Dec. 29, 1988, when the Cavaliers cruised to a 69-50 victory at Villanova’s Wildcat Classic tournament.
• UVA and the Wildcats also squared off in back-to-back seasons in 1977-78 – the inaugural meeting – and 1978-79.

VIRGINIA & VILLANOVA SHARE A COMMON OPPONENT

• Villanova and the Cavaliers share one common opponent this season, Wake Forest.
• In their fifth game of the 2023-24 season, the Wildcats took down Wake, 74-65, in Winston-Salem on Nov. 26.
• The Cavaliers split their pair of meetings with the Demon Deacons this season.
• UVA won the regular-season matchup in Winston-Salem, 87-79, on Feb. 11 when first-years Kymora Johnson (23 pts) Olivia McGhee (22 pts) combined for 45 points. McGhee’s 23 points are her season high.
• For the second consecutive year, the Cavaliers were eliminated by Wake in the first round of the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, this year by a final score of 58-55.

LAST TIME OUT

• In its 81-59 first-round victory over High Point, Virginia led for 39:36 and five Cavaliers scored in double figures as UVA earned its first postseason win since 2018.
• Paris Clark (14 pts, 5-8 FG, 6 stl), Camryn Taylor (13 pts), Alexia Smith (13 pts, 6-12 FG), Sam Brunelle (11 pts, 4-6 FG) and Kymora Johnson (10 pts, 5-11 FG, 6 ast) all scored in double figures for the Hoos.
• Off the bench, Edessa Noyan tallied a career-high 10 rebounds and Clark’s six steals matched her career best.
• Virginia logged 42 points in the paint and a season-high 29 points off of two dozen Panther turnovers.
• High Point’s Bukky Akinsola recorded a game-high 21 points after shooting 9 for 14 from the field. Seventeen of her 21 total points came in the first half.

OLD SCHOOL BASKETBALL

• For games played through March 21, Virginia is 20th in the nation in rebounds per game (41.58), 26th in free throw percentage (77.2) and 34th in blocks (4.5).
• The Cavaliers are 15-6 this season when either leading or tying their opponents in rebounding.
• UVA has shot at least 80 percent from the charity stripe in 12 games this season.

TEAM SEASON RECORDS

• Virginia has set two program season records this year, 3-point field goals made and 3-point goals attempted.
• Virginia has connected on 207 3s this season. The previous record of 189 made 3s was set in 2001.
• UVA has also attempted 660 3-pointers this season. The previous record of 541 3-pointer attempts was recorded in 2000.
• The Cavaliers are currently shooting 77.2 percent from the free throw line, which is on pace to shatter the program’s 2012 season record of 74.3 percent.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS

• Under head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, UVA is 20-3 against non-ACC teams.
• The Cavaliers won their first 14 matchups against non-conference foes before falling to No. 25 Oklahoma, 82-67, on Nov. 19.

ON THE HORIZON

• The winner of (4) Virginia–(1) Villanova takes on the winner of (3) Saint Joseph’s–(2) Cal.
• All quarterfinal matchups will stream live on ESPN+.