Women’s notebook: Virginia goes up against No. 9 Virginia Tech in first of two January meetings

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Posted on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, 9:30 am

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Mir McLean (Photo: UVA Athletics)

The Virginia women’s basketball team travels to play at No. 9 Virginia Tech on Thursday at 7 p.m. in a Smithfield Commonwealth Clash game.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

  • The game will be televised on the ACC Regional Sports Networks
  • All of the 2022-23 Virginia women’s basketball games are available locally on the radio on NewsRadio 1070 AM and 98.9 FM WINA
  • Live stats be available
  • Links are posted on VirginiaSports.com

VIRGINIA NOTES

  • The Cavaliers (13-1, 2-1 ACC) are receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll
  • This is the first of three games against ranked opponents and back-to-back road games against top-10 teams. Virginia faces No. 9 Virginia Tech on Thursday and closes the weekend playing at No. 10 NC State on Sunday. The Cavaliers host No. 22 North Carolina next Thursday
  • UVA is coming off a bye weekend. This will be its first game since picking up a 69-63 home win against Georgia Tech
  • The Cavaliers trailed 31-28 at the half but outscored the Yellow Jackets 27-16 in the third quarter to take the lead
  • Virginia is outscoring opponents 301-184 in the third quarter this season, an average of plus-8.4 ppg in that quarter
  • The Cavaliers went 11 of 14 (78.6 percent) from the field in the third quarter against Georgia Tech, their best shooting performance in a quarter this season and the second time shooting 70.0 percent or better in a period. The team was 12 of 17 (70.6 percent) in the fourth quarter in the season opener against George Washington
  • Despite being edged in rebounding for just the second time this season against Georgia Tech (minus-2), the Cavaliers moved up to No. 6 in the nation in rebounding margin at plus-12.8 (second in the ACC)
  • Virginia is eighth in the nation in rebounds per game at 46.3, which paces the ACC. UVA leads the conference and ranks 13th overall in offensive rebounds per game (16.0)
  • The Cavaliers also rank in the top 10 in field-goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 33.6 percent shooting, which is eighth in the nation and second in the ACC. Opponents are shooting 24.0 percent from three-point range (11th in the nation, first in the ACC)
  • Mir McLean ranks second in the ACC in rebounding at 9.8 per game (No. 30 nationally) and leads the conference with 4.1 offensive rebounds per game (11th nationally)
  • Despite only playing 18 minutes against Georgia Tech (due to foul trouble), McLean still grabbed nine rebounds (4 offensive, 5 defensive) to lead the Cavaliers in rebounding for the eighth-straight game
  • McLean scored a team-high 13 points against Georgia Tech, her third time leading the team in scoring in the last four games
  • Junior Alexia Smith, who is in her first season with the Cavaliers after transferring from Minnesota, has scored in double figures in each of the last two games, including a season-best 11 at Duke
  • Taylor Valladay had five assists against Georgia Tech, her sixth game this season with five or more assists. Her 4.1 assists per game rank fifth in the ACC
  • London Clarkson matched her career high with three blocked shots against Georgia Tech. She is second on the team in blocked shots with 10. Camryn Taylor leads the team with 16 blocked shots (1.14 per game)

SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH

  • Virginia Tech (12-2, 2-2 ACC) is No. 9 in this week’s AP Poll. The Hokies have been ranked as high as No. 6 this season
  • The Hokies bounced back from a 64-59 upset loss at unranked Clemson on Dec. 29 with a 68-65 victory against then-ranked No. 13 North Carolina on Sunday at Cassell Coliseum. Georgia Amoore scored 24 points in the victory
  • Virginia Tech leads the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.23
  • 2022 ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley leads the ACC in rebounding with 10.9 per game. Her nine double-doubles also pace the conference. She is fourth in scoring with 18.3 points per game
  • The Hokies have a veteran squad with eight seniors and grad students and one junior, zero sophomores and three freshmen
  • Six players are averaging 9.9 points or more per game
  • Virginia leads the all-time series 51-16, but the Hokies have won four of the last five meetings, including both match-ups last season

SMITHFIELD COMMONWEALTH CLASH

  • The rivalry between Virginia Athletics and Virginia Tech Athletics has a long and storied history dating back more than 125 years within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Cavaliers and Hokies first faced off on the gridiron in Charlottesville in 1895. First coined the Commonwealth Clash during the 2014-2015 season, the rivalry has expanded and intensified across the 22 sports the two institutions face off in head-to-head competition
  • Virginia leads this year’s clash 4.5-0.5
  • 0.5 points will be awarded to the winner of this game. Another half point will be awarded to the winner of the January 29th meeting in Charlottesville

ON THE HORIZON

The Cavaliers close out the road trip on Sunday with a 3 p.m. game at No. 10 NC State. That game will be televised on the ACC Regional Sports Networks. Virginia returns home to host No. 22 North Carolina on Thursday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m.