The Virginia women’s basketball team defeated in-state and Atlantic Coast Conference rival Virginia Tech, 66-40, Sunday (Feb. 19) afternoon in Blacksburg, Va.
The Cavaliers improved to 19-9 overall and 7-7 in ACC play. The loss dropped Virginia Tech’s record to 7-20 overall and 3-11 in league play.
Senior guard Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) led Virginia with 17 points and connected on a program-best 13-for-13 free throws. The previous high was 12-for-12 by Monica Wright in 2009 and Mimi McKinney in 1997.
Moorer also contributed eight rebounds and seven assists.
Sophomore guard Ataira Franklin (Bowie, Md.) connected on 4-of-9 shots from the field including three 3-pointers for 11 points. Jazmin Pitts(Mosely, Va.) added 10 points and five rebounds for UVa.
The win was Virginia’s 11th-consecutive victory over Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech led, 12-9, after two free throws by Hokie guard Alyssa Fenyn at the 14:09 mark of the first half. From that point, however, Virginia ignited a 10-0 run over the next 10 minutes of the stanza to take a 19-12 lead on a lay-up by Franklin with 4:44 left in the half.
In all, UVa ended the half on a 18-4 run and took a 30-16 lead at the break.
In the second half, Virginia scored four unanswered points on a lay-up by Pitts and a turnaround jumper by Chelsea Shine (Wayne, Pa.) to continue the Cavaliers’ momentum.
Virginia Tech did not get closer than 12 down the stretch.
Virginia out-rebounded Virginia Tech, 39-29, and improved to 13-0 this season when out-rebounding an opponent.
As a team, Virginia shot 43 percent from field (19-for-44) and 96 percent from the free throw line (24-for-25).
Virginia Tech shot 13-for-53 from the field (25 percent). The Hokies’ leading scorer was Aerial Wilson with 13 points.
Up next, Virginia returns home to host Wake Forest on Friday (Feb. 24) at 6:30 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.
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Chris Graham
