No. 19/21 Hokies host No. RV/24 Syracuse

Tech hosts Orange 2 p.m. Sunday at Cassell

January 28, 2017

BLACKSBURG - The No. 19/21 Virginia Tech women's basketball team is looking to bounce back on Sunday, Jan. 28 when the Hokies host No. RV/24 Syracuse. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum and is part of a doubleheader with the Tech men's team which will face Boston College at 6:30.

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: January 29, 2017 / 2 p.m.
Opponent: #RV/24 Syracuse
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: ACCNetwork Extra
Game Notes: Virginia Tech

THE HOKIES (16-4, 3-4 ACC)
Virginia Tech stumbled at in-state rival Virginia the last time out. Regan Magarity led the Hokies with eight points and 10 rebounds. Chanette Hicks added seven points and tallied two assists.

UVA opened the game on a 15-5 run to go up by 10 after six minutes of play. Tech scored the next six to cut it to a four-point game heading into the final minute, but the Cavaliers connected to take an 18-11 lead. UVA kept the run going into the next frame, scoring 13 unanswered to go on top 31-11 with 4:29 on the clock. Tech scored just five points in the frame as the Cavaliers took a 41-16 advantage into the break. The second half was not any kinder to the Hokies as UVA outscored Tech 21-2 in the third quarter. Virginia also held the advantage in the final 10 minutes, 14-9 to roll to the win.

Hicks leads the Hokies, averaging 16.1 points, 4.95 assists and 3.8 steals per game. Sidney Cook is posting 13.6 ppg and 9.4 rpg. Magarity is averaging 13.3 ppg and 10.2 rebounds per game while Samantha Hill is adding 10.0 ppg.

Magarity is currently one of two players in the ACC averaging a double-double overall on the season along with Milan Quinn of Wake Forest (11.2 ppg/10.2 rpg). In league play Magarity has upped her numbers with 14.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg.

THE ORANGE (14-7, 5-3 ACC)
Syracuse defeated Miami 81-48 at home last Sunday before having the midweek bye this week. Brittany Sykes led the Orange with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Alexis Peterson added 24 points while Gabby Cooper tallied 11. Briana Day pulled down 14 boards.

Cuse jumped out early on the Hurricanes, taking a 20-14 lead after the opening quarter. The Orange pushed their advantage in the second and third, holding Miami to just 24 points over the two frames to go on top 64-38 heading into the final 10 minutes. The Hurricanes were unable to get a run going as Syracuse cruised to the win.

Peterson leads Syracuse on the season, averaging 24.3 points per game. Sykes is adding 18.3 ppg and 8.1 rpg while Day is chipping in 12.0 ppg and 8.6 rpg.

THE SERIES
Syracuse holds the slight lead in the series 5-4, but the Orange have won the last three, including a 60-39 victory last year in the Carrier Dome. The last time the two teams met in Blacksburg (2/15/15), the Orange were down seven heading into the final 4:30 of the game before rallying in the final minutes to defeat the Hokies 59-51 in Cassell.

In that contest, Vanessa Panousis led the Hokies with 18 points while former Tech player Hannah Young grabbed 14 rebounds and chipped in nine points. Peterson recorded 17 points for the Orange while Day posted 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Up Next: Virginia Tech remains at home to host Notre Dame on Thursday, Feb. 2. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum.

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