Hokies set to host No. 17/16 Tennessee

Game time set for 2 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum

November 26, 2016

BLACKSBURG - The No. --/RV Virginia Tech women's basketball team is set to host No. 17/16 Tennessee on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum.

GAME NOTES
Date/Time: November 27, 2016 / 2 p.m.
Opponent: #17/16 Tennessee
Site: Blacksburg, Va. (Cassell Coliseum)
Radio: 100.7 FM WNMX / HokiesXtra
Talent: Andrew Allegretta, play-by-play
TV: N/A
Live Stats: HokieSports.com
Live Video: ACC Network Extra
Game Notes: Virginia Tech | Tennessee

THE HOKIES (5-0)
Virginia Tech is off to a 5-0 start this season and picked up back-to-back road wins, most recently defeating College of Charleston 71-61 on Tuesday. Chanette Hicks led the Hokies with 22 points and six steals. Sidney Cook added 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Samantha Hill knocked in 12 points including a trio of 3-pointers. Regan Magarity also pulled down eight boards while adding seven points.

The Hokies jumped out to the early lead and were up 41-30 at the break. The Cougars climbed back into the game using a 15-7 run out of the intermission to cut it to a three-point 48-45 game in the third, but Tech closed out the period with five straight. Charleston again made a push, cutting it to one early in the fourth, but Tech used an 11-4 run and connected from the line in the final minute to put it out of reach.

Hicks leads the Hokies in the early season, averaging 17.8 points, 3.8 assists and 4.0 steals per game. Cook is posting 13.4 ppg and 7.0 rpg. Hill is tallying 11.8 ppg while Magarity is averaging 9.6 ppg and 7.0 rebounds per game. Hicks, Cook and Magarity are also all connecting on 50 percent or more from the field.

THE LADY VOLS (3-1)
Tennessee fell to Penn State 70-56 the last time out. Mercedes Russell led the Lady Vols with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Jaime Nared added 18 points and 11 boards.

The Lady Vols and Nittany Lions kept it close in the opening frame with UT trailing by one after 10 minutes. Penn State outscored Tennessee 18-6 in the second quarter to take a 33-20 lead into the break. Coming back out, the Lady Vols went to work, using a 20-11 scoring advantage in the third to close the gap 44-40 heading into the fourth quarter. PSU outscored UT 26-16 in the final ten minutes to secure the win.

Russell leads four Lady Vols averaging double-digits with 17.3 ppg and 8.8 rpg. Diamond DeShields is adding 15 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 4.5 apg. Nared is posting 11.8 ppg (7.5 rpg) while Alexa Middleton is tallying 11.5 ppg.

THE SERIES
Tennessee holds the 7-1 advantage in the all-time series, but the Hokies won the most recent meeting last season 57-43 in Knoxville. Vanessa Panousis dropped in 21 points on 5-of-8 from outside the arc and 6-of-6 from the line. Magarity added 13 points, connecting on 3-of-3 from long range, while pulling down seven rebounds. Hicks added nine points, seven rebounds and three steals.

DeShields had 15 points for the Lady Vols while Russell posted 14 points and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds.

Prior to last season, the two teams had not met since the 1999 NCAA Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Up Next: Virginia Tech remains at home to host Nebraska on Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. as part of the 2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

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