Tech hosts No. 12/14 Louisville in Annual Play4Kay Game

Hokies face Cardinals 7 p.m. Thursday at Cassell

February 8, 2017

BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech women's basketball team is set to host No. 12/14 Louisville on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum. The game marks the Hokies' annual Play4Kay contest, so fans are encouraged to wear pink to support breast cancer awareness.

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: February 9, 2017 / 7 p.m.
Opponent: #12/14 Louisville
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 | Louisville

THE HOKIES (16-7, 3-7 ACC)
Virginia Tech was outlasted by Georgia Tech 87-81 the last time out. Chanette Hicks led the Hokies with a career-high tying 29 points while tallying five rebounds, six assists and six steals. Vanessa Panousis added 17 points while Samantha Hill tallied 12. Sidney Cook chipped in 10.

The game was back and forth throughout the opening half with Georgia Tech holding a 9-point advantage in the second quarter before the Hokies went on an 11-2 run to tie it up. The Hokies closed out the half outscoring the Yellow Jackets 7-3 to take a 47-44 lead into the break. Hicks went to work in the third quarter, scoring 11 of the Hokies’ 13 points in the frame. She went on an 8-2 run against the Yellow Jackets to push the Hokies ahead 55-46. After a Georgia Tech run the two teams were tied, but the Yellow Jackets closed out the frame to take a 61-60 lead into the final. The Hokies reclaimed the lead early in the fourth and were on top 73-72 with 2:37 to go. A layup from the Yellow Jackets put GT up by one the next minute. The Yellow Jackets tallied the next seven and were up 79-73 with 48 seconds remaining before Hill drained a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game. Georgia Tech went 8-of-8 from the line in the final 40 seconds to help secure the win.

Hicks leads the Hokies, averaging 16.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 steals per game. Cook is posting 13.6 ppg and 8.7 rpg. Regan Magarity is averaging 13.0 ppg and 9.7 rebounds per game while Hill is adding 10.0 ppg.

THE CARDINALS (20-6, 7-4 ACC)
Louisville dropped an 85-66 decision to Notre Dame on Monday. Asia Durr had 31 points and six rebounds for the Cardinals. Mariya Moore added 17 points and seven boards.

The Cardinals trailed by just five at the end of the opening quarter, but the Irish used a strong offensive second frame, outscoring Louisville 31-14 to go into the break up 40-28. Louisville held the scoring advantage in the third, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. The Irish were impressive protecting the ball, giving up just three turnovers in the contest.

Durr leads the Cardinals on the season, averaging 17.4 points per game. Moore is adding 13.3 ppg and 5.2 rpg. Myisha Hines-Allen is adding 12.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, but only saw one minute of action against the Irish after being sidelined by injury and missing the Cardinals’ previous game at NC State.

THE SERIES
The series is tied at 17-17, but the Cardinals won last season’s meeting 56-45 in Louisville. Tech trailed the Cardinals just 36-31 at the end of the third quarter and cut it to a 3-point game several times early in the fourth. Louisville used a 13-5 run midway through the frame to help secure the win.

Former Hokie player Hannah Young had 16 points for Tech. Panousis tallied nine and Hicks had six points, eight rebounds and four steals. Hines-Allen tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds while Briahanna Jackson tallied 13 points.

The last Tech win over the Cardinals was Feb. 26, 1995 when both teams were members of the Metro Conference. The Hokies won 68-60 in Blacksburg as Angela Donnell had 18 points for the Hokies.

Up Next: Virginia Tech is on the road to face NC State on Sunday, Feb. 12. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum.

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