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BLACKSBURG, Va. - The Virginia Tech women's basketball team is set to travel to Knoxville, Tennesee to face the No. 8/8 Tennessee Lady Volunteers on Sunday, Dec. 6 in a 2 p.m. game at Thompson-Boling Arena.

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: December 6, 2015 / 2 p.m.
Opponent: No. 8/8 Tennessee
Site: Knoxville, Tenn. (Thompson-Boling Arena)
Radio: 100.7 FM WNMX / HokiesXtra
Talent: Andrew Allegretta, play-by-play
TV: SEC Network
Live Stats: UTSports.com
Live Video: WatchESPN / SEC Network
Game Notes: Virginia Tech

THE HOKIES (6-1)
Virginia Tech defeated Penn State, 64-59 the last time out. Vanessa Panousis led the team with 16 points, hitting 8-of-8 from the free throw line, including 4-of-4 in the final 30 seconds to help secure the win. Hannah Young added 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Chanette Hicks chipped in 10 points and dished out six assists. Regan Magarity had nine points, eight rebounds.

After coming out firing in the opening quarter the Hokies went up 21-12 in the first 10 minutes, but both teams went cold in the second quarter as Tech too a 29-21 lead into the break. Penn State held the advantage in the third quarter, outscoring the Hokies 21-15 to cut the Tech lead down to two heading into the final frame. The Lady Lions tied it up, but Panousis and Young hit back-to-back threes to push the Tech advantage back to six. PSU made it a three-point game with 31 seconds to go, but Panousis’ helped secure the win from the line.

Vanessa Panousis leads the Hokies, averaging 12.4 points. Hicks is adding 10.1 ppg and tallying 3.1 steals and 3.9 assists per game. Young is adding 9.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while Sidney Cook is adding 9.3 ppg. Regan Magarity leads on the boards with 7.5 rpg.

THE LADY VOLUNTEERS (6-1)
Tennessee downed ETSU 85-49 in the team’s last outing. Diamond DeShields led the Lady Vols with 31 points. Te’a Cooper came off the bench for 23 while Mercedes Russell posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

At the break, Tennessee held just a nine-point, 33-24 over the Bucs, but the Lady Vols used a strong third quarter to outscore ETSU 22-10 to go on top 55-34. The fourth quarter was all Tennessee as the Lady Vols continued their strong offensive output to roll past ETSU for the win.

DeShields leads the Lady Vols on the season. Russell is adding 13.0 ppg and grabbing 8.6 rpg while Cooper is chipping in 12.1 ppg. Bashaara Graves is tallying 11.8 ppg and 9.3 rpg.

THE SERIES
Tennessee leads the all-time series 7-0, but the two teams have not met since the Sweet Sixteen round of the 1999 NCAA Tournament in Greensboro, N.C. where the Lady Vols claimed a 68-52 win.

Tech is familiar however with Tennessee’s DeShields having faced her during her freshman year at North Carolina when Tech held off the Tar Heels for a 50-47 win in Chapel Hill. Panousis led the Hokies with 24 points in the game while DeShields recorded eight points and seven rebounds.

Up Next: Virginia Tech returns home to host Morgan State on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.

For updates on Virginia Tech women's basketball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_WBBall