Nov. 28, 1997

#10 Virginia (4-0) at VCU (2-1)

Nov. 29, 1997   -   2:00 p.m.   -   Franklin St. Gym

#10 Virginia (4-0): Virginia makes its first road trip of the season when it visits the Franklin Street Gym for a date with VCU. Virginia is 4-0 at home, 0-0 on the road, and 0-0 at neutral sites. The Cavaliers moved up two spots to number 10 in the most recent AP poll.

The Cavaliers posted their biggest win of the season with a 64-49 win over Virginia Tech on Nov. 25. DeMya Walker led the team with 12 points in that game and Lesley Brown and Erin Stovall each had 10 points.

Walker leads the team in scoring (13.8 ppg) followed by Mimi McKinney (12.8 ppg) and Lisa Hosac (10.5 ppg). Hosac leads the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg).

Head Coach Debbie Ryan, in her 21st season, brings a career record of 466-157 (.748) into tonight's game. Ryan is 11-0 vs. VCU.

VCU (2-1): VCU is on a two-game win streak with wins over Rider (84-47) and Norfolk State (72-61). Their only loss of the season was to Wake Forest (57-85) in the season opener. The Lady Rams are 2-0 at home and 0-1 on the road.

Chevette Waller leads the team in scoring (20.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg). Waller led VCU with 24 points against Norfolk State on Nov. 26 and Marika Rasmussen scored a career-high 17 points in that game.

Head Coach David Glass is in his second season at VCU with a record of 15-16.

Series Record: Virginia leads 12-6. VCU won the first five contests between the two teams in the early '70's while Virginia has won the last 11 in a row. The last time these two teams met was on Jan. 31, 1994 at the Franklin St. Gym and the Cavaliers came home with a 76-46 win. 

Probable Virginia Starters

Pos.  Player              Cl.  Ht.  Stats
  F   Lisa Hosac          Jr.  6-2  10.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg
  F   DeMya Walker        Jr.  6-2  13.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg
  G   Kate Mooney         Jr.  6-0   5.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg
  G   Mimi McKinney       Sr.  5-9  12.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg
  G   Renee Robinson      So.  5-6   4.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg

Reserves
Pos.  Player              Cl.  Ht.   Stats
  F   Lesley Brown        Jr.  6-0   6.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg
  F   Chalois Lias        Fr.  6-0   2.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg
  F   Dean'na Mitchelson  Fr.  6-2   0.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg
  C   Elena Kravchenko    Fr.  6-10  1.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg
  C   Tammy Gardner       Sr.  6-4   0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
  G   Erin Stovall        Fr.  5-9   7.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg
  G   Lauren Swierczek    So.  5-11  0.0 ppg, 0.3 rpg

How the Teams Match-up
                  Virginia    VCU
Points              65.2     71.0
Scoring Defense     54.5     59.7
Rebounds            36.2     50.0
Rebound Margin      +2.2     +2.0
FG %                .429     .380
FG% Defense         .381     .291
3-pt FG %           .288     .216
FT %                .635     .739
Assists             14.8     15.3
Turnovers           21.8     20.0
Blocks               6.5      1.7
Steals              12.3     10.0

Last Time Out: Cavs Post Win Over Hokies

DeMya Walker scored 12 points to lead the Cavaliers to a 64-49 win over Virginia Tech on Nov. 25. The Cavalier bench added 27 points in the win led by Lesley Brown and Erin Stovall with 10 points apiece.

Virginia shot a season high 48.0 percent from the field (24-50).

Next Up For the Cavaliers: St. Francis (Pa.)

The Cavaliers hit the road for their second of three consecutive road games of the season for a contest with St. Francis on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. This will be Virginia's first ever trip to Loretto, Pa. to play the Red Flash. St. Francis has played the Cavaliers twice before, both times in University Hall and Virginia holds a 2-0 lead in the series.

Virginia continues its road swing with a Dec. 6 contest at Georgia Tech (1 p.m.).

Time Change

Please note that the Feb. 15 game vs. North Carolina in University Hall has been changed to 5 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN 2. The original starting time was 4 p.m.

Walker Becomes UVa's All-Time Blocks Leader

DeMya Walker's first block of the season, which came in the 13:06 mark in the second half, established her as the Virginia's all-time blocks leader, eclipsing the mark of 152 set by Heather Burge (1990-93). Walker ended the night with three blocks.

Against Kent, Walker recorded six blocks, one off the school record of seven blocks for a single game. Walker has recorded six or more blocks in four games during her career.

Mooney and McKinney Climb Up the Charts

Kate Mooney and Mimi McKinney are moving up the chart in career three-point field goals made. Mooney has a total of 50 career three-pointers w hich moves her ahead of Donna Holt (49) in seventh place all-time. McKinney has a total of 48 three-pointers in her career for ninth place in the career standings.

Tora Suber holds onto first place in career three-pointers with 220.

Out For The Season

The Cavaliers will be without the services senior guard/forward Monick Foote and junior guard Tiffany Bower. Foote made the decision to redshirt this season due to a chronic ankle problem (right) and a stress fracture in the same leg that developed during the summer. Foote wants to take the time to properly rehab the leg and comeback for a healthy senior year in 1998-99.

Bower suffered a torn left achilles tendon on the third day of practice and will not play this season. Bower worked extremely hard over the summer to come back from a torn right achilles tendon which she suffered on the eve of the NCAA Tournament last March and was cleared to play this season.

Cavs Picked to Finish Second in Conference

The Cavaliers were picked to finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in a vote by the ACC Basketball Writers on Oct. 26. North Carolina was picked as the preseason favorite with 153 points. Following is the predicted order of finish by the writers: 

    Team            Pts
1.  North Carolina  153
2.  Virginia        119
3.  Duke            112
4.  N.C. State      107
5.  Clemson          83
6.  Maryland         81
7.  Georgia Tech     57
8.  Wake Forest      27
9.  Florida State    26

Walker and Robinson Honored By ACC

DeMya Walker was selected to the ACC All-Conference Preseason Team.
(File Photo)

DeMya Walker and Renee Robinson were selected to the ACC All-Conference Preseason Team. Walker was selected to the first team along with Tracy Reid (North Carolina), Chasity Melvin (N.C. State), Itoro Umoh (Clemson), Payton Black (Duke) and Chanel Wright (North Carolina).

Robinson was joined on the second team by Carla Munnion (Georgia Tech,) Stephanie Cross (Maryland), Sonia Chase (Maryland), Hilary Howard (Duke) and LySchale Jones (N.C. State).

Ryan Begins 21st Year At Virginia

The women's basketball marks its 25th anniversary this year and in the previous 24 years, Head Coach Debbie Ryan has coached the team for 20 years. Ryan enters her 21st year with a career record of 466-155.

In her 20-year career, Coach Ryan has directed the Cavaliers to 14 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, with three straight trips to the Final Four in 1990, 1991 and 1992. When she won her 400th career game on Jan. 25, 1995 at Maryland, she reached the 400-win milestone in only her 538th game, faster than any other coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

During Ryan's era, the Cavaliers have advanced to the "Sweet 16" 11 times, won three Atlantic Coast Conference Tournaments (1990-92-93), competed in the Final Four three times (1990-91-92), won the 1990 and 1992 East Regional, the 1991 Midwest Regional and won 10 ACC regular-season titles, including six of the last seven.

The Cavalier mentor has been named Naismith Coach of the Year (1991) by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, ACC Coach of the Year (1984, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1995), state Coach of the Year (1981, 1995) and Converse District III Coach of the Year (1986, 1987). In addition to her accomplishments on the court, Ryan boasts a graduation rate of 100 percent of all athletes who completed their four-year eligibility.