CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (2-0) is set to host William & Mary (2-0) on Sunday (Nov. 8). Tipoff from John Paul Jones Arena is set for 2 p.m. on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).
Broadcast Information
- Thursday’s game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).
- The game will also be broadcast on WINA (98.9-FM/1070-AM), VirginiaSports.com and the Virginia Spots mobile app.
- Live statistics will be provided through StatBroadcast, which can be accessed on VirginiaSports.com.
For Openers:
- Virginia enters the season receiving votes in both the Women’s Basketball AP Poll as well as the USA Today Coaches Poll.
- Kymora Johnson has scored 20+ points in back-to-back games to open the season against UMES (21) and Davidson (25).
- Virginia was picked to finish sixth in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, it’s highest position since being picked sixth in 2017.
- Virginia is in its 54th season of women’s basketball sporting a 1,016-576 (.638) record.
Last Time Out:
- Kymora Johnson (25), Mary-Anna Asare (20), Breona Hurd (13), and Caterina Piatti (12) combined for 70 points of Virgnia’s 72 points in a win at Davidson on Thursday night (Nov. 5)
- Asare did not score in the opening period at Davidson but finished the game with 20 pts (8-10 FG), 5 reb, and 2 stl.
- Asare logged 13 of her 20 points in the second quarter on an ultra-efficient 5-for-6 from the field.
- She ignited a 15-0 Cavalier run to start the third quarter as Virginia never looked back in a 71-57 road victory.
Series History:
- Virginia is 13-0 against William & Mary in a series that dates to 1975.
- Head Coach Aaron Roussell is 6-0 against the Tribe in his head coaching career.
- Virginia and William & Mary are set to match up for the first time since the 2023-24 season, an 80-51 win for the Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena.
- Kymora Johnson (11 pts) and Olivia McGhee (10 pts) each scored in double figures the last time the teams matched up, both were in their freshman season at Virginia.
The Roussell Era Begins:
- Head Coach Aaron Roussell takes charge of the Virginia program in his 22nd season as a head coach with a 462-194 record accumulated from stops at UChicago (DIII), Bucknell and Richmond.
- Roussell spent the last seven seasons at the University of Richmond, leading the Spiders to a 148-72 record and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Over the course of his 22-season career, Roussell has led his teams to five NCAA Tournament Appearances (2017, 2019, 2024, 2025, 2026)
- He has combined for 11 seasons with 20+ wins and led his teams to a total of six conference championships.
- Roussell’s Cavaliers will feature a free-flowing offense that plays with pace, spaces the floor, and prioritizes shot selection.
The 2026 Cavaliers:
- Kymora Johnson, Breona Hurd, Olivia McGhee, Adeang Ring, and Tabitha Amanze, who is rehabbing an injury sustained last season.
- UVA inked four players from the transfer portal this offseason including two guards: Mary-Anna Asare (VCU) and Eris Lester (Alabama). Virginia also landed a pair of bigs in Caterina Piatti (Florida), and Janae Walker (Rutgers).
- Virginia signed four first-years including Erica Gribble (Greensburg, Pa.) Emilie Brzonova (Czech Republic), Sintija Aukštikalnyte (Lithuania) and Lyla Coogen (Arlington, Va.)
Johnson Chasing History:
- Kymora Johnson has collected multiple preseason honors ahead of 2026.
- She was named a preseason All-ACC selection for the third consecutive season
- She also landed on the Wade Trophy Watch list as well as preseason watch lists for both the Nancy Lieberman Award - which recognizes the nation’s best point guard - as well as the Naismith Player of the Year.
- She ranks 7th in program history with 1,771 points – 72 points from passing Tammi Reiss in sixth.
- Johnson is 105 points from reaching the top-five in career points at UVA (Lyndra Littles, 1,876), and 364 from passing Dawn Staley for second (2,135).
- Only three Cavaliers have ever surpassed the 2,000-point threshold in program history.
- Johnson ranks third in program history with 567 career assists, 162 behind Dawn Staley in second.
On the Horizon:
- The Cavaliers will be back in action Wednesday (Nov. 11) when they host Drexel at John Paul Jones Arena.
- Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX)
- Fans can also listen live at 98.9-FM/1070AM WINA