What's on tap (Thursday, Dec. 3)

Wofford (1-6) at William and Mary (5-1), 7 p.m., Big Ten Network

   - The Tribe made things interesting late - don't they always? - in Tuesday's win at Delaware State but held on to enough of their 19-point fourth-quarter lead to escape with a six-point decision and third straight victory. The game kicked off what could be a highly successful five-day stretch for the Tribe, who on Saturday will visit rebuilding Clemson (2-6). The Tigers, who start a freshman and three sophomores, had dropped six in a row before Wednesday's 63-54 home win over South Carolina State. William and Mary won at Wofford 71-51 when these teams met last season. The game featured a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double from Tribe center Abby Rendle. William and Mary is 2-0 at home so far (wins over Grambling and American).

Virginia Tech (5-1) at Penn State (3-3), 8 p.m.

   - The Hokies flunked their first road test, falling by 16 on Nov. 18 to a Georgetown team that is now 5-1 after finishing 4-27 last season. Three comfortable home wins later, Tech will play road game No. 2 at another team on the rebound as the Nittany Lions went 6-24 in 2014-15, Game is part of the two-day, 14-game Big Ten/ACC Challenge (Clemson is the 15-team ACC's odd team out). The Big Ten won five of the seven contests Wednesday, including Iowa's 85-73 decision at Virginia. Virginia Tech is 2-6 in Big Ten/ACC Challenge games.

What's on tap (Wednesday, Dec. 2)

Loyola (Md., 2-4) at Old Dominion (1-6), 11 a.m.

Another packed house is expected at the Constant Center for ODU''s fifth annual "Education Day" contest featuring more than 7,000 elementary school students from virtually all of Norfolk's public schools. Last year's game drew the arena's first-ever sellout for women's basketball (8,472), and ODU is actually expecting 200 additional kids for this year's matchup.

As for the game, the Lady Monarchs will continue to be without leading scorer Jennie Simms (18.3 ppg) and starting center Ije Ajemba, both of whom have been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Both players also missed the third of ODU's three games at the Paradise Jam Saturday, a 71-39 loss to South Dakota State. In addition to scoring, Simms also leads the Lady Monarchs in rebounds per game, assists and steals. She is also a team captain.

Loyola will be led by Bri Betz-White, the Greyhounds' leading scorer (15.8 ppg) and the younger sister of former ODU standout - and fan favorite at Education Day - Ashley Betz-White...Old Dominion has lost five straight since a 71-57 victory over Wagner on Nov. 15...This will be Loyola's third game against a Virginia school in the last 12 days. The Greyhounds knocked off Norfolk State on Nov. 21 and fell by a point to William and Mary on Nov. 23. The Greyhounds' last appearance at the Constant Center was also Wendy Larry's last game as Old Dominion's head coach. Loyola prevailed 67-65 in the first round of the WNIT on March 16, 2011.

Davidson (4-2) at Radford (2-2), 11:30 a.m.

The Highlanders are staging an "Education Day" matinee for the first time and will be looking to win their l1th straight at home. Radford tuned up for this contest by tearing through Division II Lees-McRae 84-39. Davidson has won three straight.

UNC Wilmington (2-2) at VCU (4-1), 7 p.m.

VCU ranks 10th in Division I in scoring defense (49.8 ppg) and 35th out of 344 schools in steals per game (11.2). The Seahawks have been pretty disruptive, too (9.8 steals per game, 21.8 turnovers forced) so this one could be fairly low-scoring. VCU won 59-53 when these teams met at UNCW last season.

Georgetown (4-1) at George Mason (3-5), 7 p.m.

The Patriots went 2-3 on their five-game, 11-day road trip (Utah, Alaska, Las Vegas) and will play playing at home for just the second time this season and first since Nov. 17. The Hoyas are coming off a two-game sweep of the TD Bank Classic tournament at the University of Vermont and have already matched their win total for the entire 2014-15 season (4-27).

Iowa (6-1) at Virginia (5-2), 7 p.m.

Game is part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Hawkeyes are ranked 24th in the USA Today coaches poll. Virginia won five in a row before dropping its final two games at the Paradise Jam.

Liberty (2-4) at Gardner-Webb (4-1), 7 p.m.

Kickoff for both teams of the Big South's 20-game conference slate. The Lady Flames have won six straight league openers and 15 of the last 16. Liberty enters on a four-game losing streak, albeit against stiff competition (N.C. State, JMU, Ohio State, California).

Statistically speaking.... (through Nov. 30)

Hampton's Malia Tate-DeFreitas tops all scorers at 18.8 ppg.

Statistical leaders among Virginia's Division I players through the games of Nov. 30:

Top 10 scorers

(games played, points, average and FG percentage)

Malia Tate-DeFreitas, Hampton      6   113   18.8  39.5

Ashley Perez, JMU                          5    93  18.6    41.2

Jennie Simms, Old Dominion          6    110  18.3  34.5

Jazmon Gwathmey, JMU                 5    91  18.2    46.5

Ashley Rininger, Liberty                  6    97   16.2   53.8

Janelle Hubbard, Richmond             6    96  16.0    47.3

Marlena Tremba, William & Mary  5    78  15.6    50.0

Micaela Parson, Richmond              6    88  14.7    43.2

Taylor Brown, George Mason         8    114 14.3   33.0

Isis Thorpe, VCU                             3     41  13.7   37.5

Others (min. 10 ppg): Alexandra Masaquel, William and Mary 13.4; Faith Randolph, Virginia 13.1; Sadalia Ellis, Liberty 12.8; Lauren Tolson, Richmond 12.7; Kaylah Lupoe, Hampton 12.5; Mikayla Venson, Virginia 12.3; Camille Calhoun, VCU 12.2; Aisha Foy, Radford 12.0; Vanessa Panousis, Virginia Tech 11.8;; Kayla Roberts, Norfolk State 11.8; Janayla White, Radford 11.8; Jayda Worthy, Radford 11.5; Koryn Lawrence, Norfolk State 11.2; Siobhan Beslow, Norfolk State 10.8; Aliyah Huland El, Virginia 10.6; Chanette Hicks, Virginia Tech 10.2;  Sidney Cook, Virginia Tech 10.0; Lauren Moses, Virginia 10.0; Kristi Mokube, George Mason  10.0; Abby Rendle, William and Mary 10.0

Note: Radford’s Jayda Worthy is tied for 7^th nationally in field goal percentage (.667).

Rebounds

Da’Lishia Griffin, JMU 10.2; Kayla Roberts, Norfolk State 9.6; Jayda Worthy, Radford 8.8; Siobhan Beslow, Norfolk State 8.6; Katelyn Adams, Liberty 8.2; Ashley Rininger, Liberty 7.7; Abby Rendle, William and Mary 7.6; Regan Magarity, Virginia Tech 7.3; Jennie Simms, Old Dominion 6.8; Lydia Rivers, Radford 6.8; Ije Ajemba, Old Dominion 6.7; Alexandra Masaquel, William and Mary 6.6; Lauren Moses, Virginia 6.4; Tiffany Padgett, George Mason 6.4; Jazmon Gwathmey, JMU 6.2; Camille Calhoun, VCU  6.0; Malia Tate DeFreitas, Hampton 6.0; Kaylah Lupoe, Hampton 6.0; 

Savannah Felgemacher, JMU   6.0

Note: JMU’s Da’Lishia Griffin ranks 40^th in Division I in rebounding (10.2).

Assists

Muff Mickens, JMU  8.6; Jenna Green, William and Mary 5.2; Keira Robinson, VCU 4.4; Jennie Simms, Old Dominion 4.2; Sadalia Ellis, Liberty 4.0; Koryn Lawrence, Norfolk State 4.0; Chanette Hicks, Virginia Tech 3.5; Marlena Tremba, William and Mary 3.2; Micaela Ellis, Longwood 3.0.

Note: JMU’s Muff Mickens ranks second in Division I in assists per game (8.6), trailing only Lipscomb’s Loren Cagle (9.0).

3-point shooting

(by total made, with 3FG percentage)

Vanessa Panousis, Virginia Tech 21-47, .447; Ashley Perez, JMU 18-51, .353; Lauren Tolson, Richmond 16-37, .432; Sidney Cook, Virginia Tech 15-39 .385; Keyana Brown, Old Dominion 14-29 .483; Malia Tate-DeFreitas, Hampton 14-36, .389; Jaymee Fisher-Davis, Liberty 12-37 .324; Mikayla Venson, Virginia 11-42  .262; Marlena Tremba, William and Mary 10-24, .417; Jewel Triggs, George Mason 10-26, .385; Kyndal Skersick, Longwood  9-26, .346; Taylor Brown, George Mason 9-40, .225; Isis Thorpe, VCU 8-21, .381; Faith Randolph, Virginia 8-23, .348; Deborah Headen, Longwood 7-14, .500; Jazmon Gwathmey, JMU  7-16, .438;

Note: JMU’s Ashley Perez is tied for 11^th nationally in 3-pointers per game (3.60) and Virginia Tech’s Vanessa Panousis is tied for 16^th (3.50). Old Dominion’s Keyana Brown is tied for 34^th in Division I in 3-point percentage (48.3).

Blocks

Abby Rendle, William and Mary 14; Jazmon Gwathmey, JMU 11; Kayla Cooper-Williams, JMU 10; 

Lydia Rivers, Radford 10; Dominique Powell, Virginia Tech 9; Taijah Campbell, Virginia Tech 9; 

Kaylah Lupoe, Hampton 9; Jayda Worthy, Radford 8; Kara Wright, George Mason 8; Siobhan Beslow, Norfolk State  7l; Bridget O’Donnell, George Mason 7; Aliyah Huland El, Virginia, 6; 

Koryn Lawrence, Norfolk State 6; Destinee Young, Old Dominion 6; Ashley Rininger, Liberty 6; 

Catherine Kearney, Liberty 6.

Note: William and Mary’s Abby Rendle is tied for 22^nd nationally in blocks per game (2.8), while Radford’s Lydia Rivers is tied for 30^th (2.5) and JMU’s Jazmon Gwathmey is 50^th (2.2).

Steals

Chanette Hicks, Virginia Tech 20; Sadalia Ellis, Liberty 18; Lauren Moses, Virginia 16; Breyana Mason, Virginia 15; Keira Robinson, VCU 15; Mikayla Venson, Virginia 13; Gaby Gilmore, Radford 11; Aliyah Huland El, Virginia 11; Jennie Simms, Old Dominion 11; Kaylah Lupoe, Hampton 10; Taylor Brown, George Mason 10.

Note: Virginia Tech’s Chanette Hicks is tied for 24^th nationally in steals per game (3.33) and is sixth among all Division I freshmen.

Also see:

State team rankings for Nov. 30

Gimme Five - the state's top teams (Nov. 30)

    

        1. JMU (4-1)

      Last week: 3

     

      The Dukes vault to the top after a 2-0 week featuring a dominant win over tough Liberty (ask Cal and Ohio State how tough) and an escape-from-the-dead overtime win at Hampton Sunday that left coach Kenny Brooks scrambling for superlatives.

This team doesn't give up. #R3IGN pic.twitter.com/1QzuuPgUwt

— JMUSports (@JMUSports) November 30, 2015

      

      Shoutout to: Jazmon Gwathmey, your new Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week.

      Next up: vs. American (0-6), Saturday, 7 p.m.

2. Virginia (5-2)

      

Last week: 1

    

The Cavaliers drop a notch after Rutgers and Tulane cooled off Virginia’s formerly sizzling guards on consecutive days at the Paradise Jam. Still a lot to like about the way the Cavaliers have started, though. And to be fair, Virginia still owns arguably the two best wins of any of the state’s teams so far – at Middle Tennessee State and against Green Bay in the Paradise Jam opener.

   

Shoutout to: Lauren Moses. On a team where the guards have dominated, the 6-2 Moses was Virginia’s lone representative on the Paradise Jam all-tournament team. She particularly stood tall in the Tulane and Rutgers matchups, averaging 14 points  on 54.5 percent shooting and 5.5 rebounds over the two games. With the guards likely to continue drawing the prime focus of opposing defenses, here’s hoping Moses can continue to get hers.

Next up: vs. Iowa  (6-1), 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Game kicks off a stretch in which the Cavaliers play eight of nine games at home.

3.      

       3. Richmond (5-1)

       
       Last week: 2

       The Spiders opened with five straight wins before they got caught on the wrong end of a shootout Sunday in a 98-80 loss to Marquette in the FIU Turkey Slam final. Going in Richmond hadn’t allowed more than 62 points in any game and had kept four teams in the 50s. Marquette, on the other hand, hung 95 on FIU in the tournament opener.

      Shoutout to: Janelle Hubbard and Micaela Parson, both of whom made the FIU Turkey Slam all-tournament team.

      Next up: vs. Furman (4-2), 5 p.m. Tuesday.

      4. Virginia Tech (5-1)

       Last week: 5

      A light week for the Hokies with just one result – Wednesday’s 73-42 whipping of Wofford – on the books. Tech’s lineup of opponents to date hasn’t exactly been rigorous so we’re giving them a bit of the benefit of the doubt here. We’ll have a lot more to go on a week from now, though, as Tech’s schedule is about to get a lot more interesting – and revealing.

      Shoutout to: Chanette Hicks. The true freshman enduring a trial-by-fire as the Hokies starting point guard came up big against Wofford with six steals, the most by a Tech player since 2011.

      Next up: Thursday at Penn State (3-3), 8 p.m. in Big Ten/ACC Challenge; Sunday at No. 8 Tennessee (5-1), 2 p.m.

5.      

      5. William and Mary (4-1)

Last week: (NR)

Is this really the fifth-best team in Virginia? Well...the team is off to its best start since the 1998-99 season, and there’s certainly no shame in the lone stumble, a six-point setback at Richmond. A couple of key stats: out of 344 Division I teams, William and Mary ranks among the nation’s Top 35 in fewest turnovers committed per game (13.2, 34th) and free throw percentage (77.5, 13^th). So OK, maybe we're not absolutely convinced this is a Top-5 team, at least right now. But given those numbers, we are confident someone’s going to have to actually beat these guys, because they don’t beat themselves.

Shoutout to:  Marlena Tremba, who lit up American for 22 points in last week’s 62-51 victory. When Tremba is feeling it like this, the Tribe is truly dangerous.

Next up: at Delaware State (1-5), Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. 

On the verge

Liberty (2-4) – Team’s mired in a four-game losing streak, although the competitiveness of the Lady Flames’ games against N.C. State, Ohio State and California – and the second half against JMU - indicates a team much better than that record. It would help if the Lady Flames would stop falling 15-20 points down before top form kicks in. 

VCU (4-1) – Those thieving Rams (11.2 steals per game) have made themselves extremely tough to run offense against (and nearly impossible for Campbell, which trailed VCU 23-8 at halftime last week).

Rear echelon 

(not necessarily in order)

Radford (2-2) – Wednesday’s home date with Davidson will mark the Highlanders’ first game against a Division I team since Nov. 20’s last-second 54-53 loss at Youngstown State.

Longwood (1-4) – The Lancers are 1-0 at home after last week’s 60-49 win over N.C. Central, and star guard Daeisha Brown appears to be closing in on the form she displayed prior to last season’s ACL injury. Longwood will play three of its next five games at home.

George Mason (3-5) – Guard Taylor Brown scored 21 points and nailed the game-winning jumper in Sunday’s 64-63 victory that gave the Patriots third place in UNLV’s Lady Rebels Roundup and brought a successful end to Mason’s five-game, 11-day road trip.

Hampton (0-6) – JMU spectacular comeback in Sunday’s 68-56 overtime victory at Hampton obscured the fact that the Dukes didn’t crack the 40-point barrier until less than three minutes remained in regulation. Elite defensive performances are nothing new at Hampton, and if that kind of effort becomes routine the Lady Pirates should be in good shape going forward. That said, Hampton clearly left a victory on the free throw line – missed five straight in the final 31 seconds – and the ability to knock these shots down may be an ongoing concern. Hampton was shooting 59 percent from the line heading into the JMU game and is now at 56.3 percent, a figure which ranks 332^nd in Division I.

Old Dominion (1-6) –  Some Paradise. The Lady Monarchs went 0-3 in the Virgin Islands – including losses by 46 and 32 points – and played their third game without leading scorer Jennie Simms and starting center Ije Ajemba after both were benched for a violation of team rules. In short, the trip will provide a stern test of coach Karen Barefoot’s renowned skill in finding positives in any situation.

Norfolk State (0-5) – As expected, Siobhan Beslow (10.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg), a graduate transfer from La Salle, has been a nice addition and pairs with Kayla Roberts (11.8 ppg, 9.6 rpg) to provide a solid post duo. But the Spartans are allowing 83.6 points per game, and it’s hard to beat anyone with a defense that leaky. 

Nov. 23 rankings

Preseason rankings

What happened, what's ahead (Nov. 29)

ICYMI – Saturday’s results

No. 16 California 77, Liberty 72 -  Stunning near-comeback for the Lady Flames, who trailed by 16 with five minutes to go but got to within three with a minute left at the South Point Shootout. Ashley Rininger was Ashley Rininger (18 points, 7 rebounds) and made the all-tournament team; Sadalia Ellis, Katelyn Adams and Jaymee Fisher-Davis all scored in double figures.  The Lady Flames (2-4) have now lost three straight, but  the setbacks were all by 10 points or less to N.C. State and nationally ranked Ohio State and this Cal squad.  

Tulane 67, Virginia 62 – The Cavaliers took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter but fell behind quickly in the final frame and couldn’t recover at the Paradise Jam.  Faith Randolph finished with 19 points but made just 6 of 20 field goals; the typically sweet-shooting Randolph-Mikayla Venson-Breyana Mason guard trio combined to make just 10 of 36 field goals. Virginia’s second straight loss and a  disappointing ending to a Paradise Jam outing that began strongly with a Cavaliers win over Green Bay.

South Dakota State 71, Old Dominion 39 – Speaking of disappointing…. With starters Jennie Simms and Ije Ajemba unavailable after a violation of team rules, the shorthanded Lady Monarchs hung around for a half before getting their doors blown off by the powerful Jackrabbits after the break. The defeat was ODU’s fifth straight and left the Lady Monarchs as the only one of the eight Paradise Jam teams to leave the Virgin Islands winless in the three-game event.

Radford 84, Lees-McRae 39 – The Highlanders got what they wanted – and perhaps needed – out of this one – a strong, confidence-building effort against the Division II Bobcats in which all healthy hands contributed. Jayda Worthy led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

UNLV 67, George Mason 62 – Another tough shooting night for the Patriots, who made just 31.9 percent of their field goals in falling to the host Lady Rebels. Taylor Brown led the way with 14 points but made just 4 of her 16 shots. The Patriots starters were a combined 10 of 40 from the field.

UNC Greensboro 81, Longwood 60 – It’s tough to win when you send an opponent to the free throw line 41 times (UNCG converted 29). On the plus side for the Lancers, Kyndal Skersick (16 points) scored in double figures for the third straight game, Micaela Ellis added 12 points and Daeisha Brown added a season-high 12 and she continues her push to regain top form after last season’s ACL injury.

Team records

Richmond 5-0; Virginia Tech 5-1; Virginia 5-2; William and Mary 4-1; JMU 3-1; VCU 3-1; Radford 2-2; Liberty 2-4; Longwood 1-4; George Mason 2-5; Old Dominion 1-6; Norfolk State 0-5; Hampton 0-5

Sunday’s games

Richmond vs. Marquette (1-4), noon – Title game of the FIU Turkey Slam. A victory would continue the Spiders’ best start since the 2008-09 team opened with an 8-0 mark.

Furman (4-1) at VCU, 1 p.m. – The Rams will unleash their turnover-inducing defense on the Paladins, who have won four straight but will be playing on the road for the first time this season. Furman head coach Jackie Carson , a Woodbridge native, was an assistant at JMU from 2006-10 before returning to lead her alma mater.

George Mason vs. Tulsa (1-4), 3 p.m. – Third-place game in the Lady Rebel Round-up and finale of the Patriots’ 11-day, five-game cross-country road trip.

JMU at Hampton, 5 p.m. – The first home game of the season for the Lady Pirates. JMU prevailed 85-53 when these programs met in Harrisonburg last season. 

What happened, what's ahead (Nov. 28)

Could the law firm of Hubbard, Tolson and Parson successfully close another case? Should we start calling her “Downtown” Keyana Brown? And was Liberty really leading mighty Ohio State in the fourth quarter?

Let’s check the highlights….

ICYMI – Friday’s results

Rutgers 60, Virginia 48 – You can’t win them all, right? The Cavaliers (5-1) got a career-high 18 points from forward Lauren Moses and 19 points off 19 Scarlet Knights turnovers, but it wasn’t nearly enough to offset an overall poor shooting night (28.8 percent FG, 65.8 percent FT) at the Paradise Jam.

Pittsburgh 67, Old Dominion 58 – Old Dominion’s second game at the Paradise Jam featured some encouraging signs for the Lady Monarchs (1-5) on offense. Jennie Simms had 9 assists to go with her team-high 17 points, Keyana Brown got white-hot from 3 (5-5) for the second time in three games and Destinee Young (13 points) added some much-needed scoring from a post player.  The attack whimpered down the stretch, though, as the Lady Monarchs made just one of their last seven shots as the Panthers pulled away. ODU has now been outscored in its last five fourth quarters and by a combined 66-37 in the fourth quarters during its four-game losing streak . Before the season began the Lady Monarchs boasted of outstanding conditioning, but so far that hasn’t translated into winning basketball at the business end of these games. More on Downtown Keyana Brown – DKB is now 8-14 from 3 over her last three games, and that includes an 0-4 effort in Thursday’s blowout loss to Maryland.

Richmond 60, Wichita State 48 – In the team’s FIU Turkey Slam opener, The Spiders’ sensational guard trio led the way again as Micaela Parson (a career-high 20 points), Janelle Hubbard (12) and Lauren Tolson (11) all scored in double figures for the third time in five games. Freshman forward Tuuli Menna chipped in seven points and eight boards as the Spiders cruised past a depleted Shockers bunch that is just a shell (shell-Shockers?) of the squad that won 29 games and the Missouri Valley Conference title last season. The Spiders’ 5-0 record marks the team’s best since 2008-09.

No. 11 Ohio State 75, Liberty 65 – Led by twin towers Ashley Rininger (18 points, 6 rebounds) and Catherine Kearney (11 points, 8 boards), the Lady Flames (2-3) gave the Buckeyes fits for three-plus quarters at the South Point Shootout and actually led 61-60 with 7:29 left. Ultimately, Ohio State’s ability to turn Liberty over (the Buckeyes scored 37 points off 29 Lady Flames giveaways) carried the day. Still, we doubt anyone who saw this game is still wondering what Liberty is doing in a tournament with Ohio State, California and Texas A&M.

No. 8 Mississippi State 94, Norfolk State 32 -  Koryn Lawrence led Norfolk State (0-5) with 12 points. Otherwise, the final score pretty much says it all.

Team records

Richmond 5-0; Virginia 5-1; Virginia Tech 5-1; William and Mary 4-1; JMU 3-1; VCU 3-1; Liberty 2-3; Radford 1-2; Longwood 1-3; George Mason 2-4; Old Dominion 1-5; Norfolk State 0-5; Hampton 0-5

Saturday’s games

Virginia vs. Tulane (3-3), 1 p.m. – Survival of the fittest as it’s the third game in three days for both at the Paradise Jam.  Tulane has gotten cuffed around in this event by Green Bay (a 21-point loss) and Rutgers (a 24-point setback). A little over a week ago, though, the Green Wave held its own in a six-point loss at Florida State, then followed that up with a one-point win over LSU.

Lees-McRae (0-5, Division II) at Radford, 2 p.m. – A year ago, Radford lost its non-Division I encounter. The humbled Highlanders regrouped and went on to have a successful season, but here’s hoping the team doesn’t learn its lesson the embarrassing way again.

Longwood at UNC Greensboro (2-3), 2 p.m. – The Lancers are coming off Tuesday’s 60-49 victory over North Carolina Central. UNCG is 0-3 against Division I programs (losses to South Carolina, High Point and Gardner-Webb).

George Mason at UNLV (4-0), 3 p.m. – The Patriots are winding up an 11-day odyssey that has taken them from Utah to Alaska before this two-day tournament in Las Vegas. Odds are the players have either formed an incredible bond or can’t wait to finally get away from each other.  Let’s hope it’s the former. UNLV has played all its games at home.

Liberty vs. No. 16 California (4-1), 5:15 p.m. - Another big challenge awaits the Lady Flames in the South Point Shootout (Las Vegas).

Old Dominion vs. South Dakota State (3-2), 5:45 p.m. – This will be the third of three games in the Paradise Jam for both. The quality of the Jackrabbits is evidenced by their extremely competitive losses to Notre Dame (by 11 points) and Maryland (7), teams that – as Old Dominion can attest – make a habit out of crushing folks by 40 or 50.

What happened, what's ahead (Nov. 27)

ICYMI - Thursday’s results

Virginia 68, Green Bay 59 – Guards Mikayla Venson (25 points), Breyana Mason (16) and Faith Randolph (15) supplied 82 percent of the scoring for the Cavaliers (5-0), who seized control by outscoring the Phoenix 22-7 in the third quarter during their Paradise Jam opener. The 5-0 record marks Virginia’s best start since the 1997-98 season. And remember, this stretch includes games at Auburn and Middle Tennessee State and just two at home.

No. 6 Maryland 95, Old Dominion 49 – The Terrapins (4-0) are really good at basketball. As for Old Dominion, Jennie Sims checked in with 23 points, but it wasn’t nearly enough to prevent the Lady Monarchs from kicking off the Paradise Jam with their third straight loss.

Team records

Virginia 5-0; Richmond 4-0; Virginia Tech 5-1; William and Mary 4-1; JMU 3-1; VCU 3-1; Liberty 2-2; Radford 1-2; Longwood 1-3; George Mason 2-4; Old Dominion 1-4; Norfolk State 0-4; Hampton 0-5

Friday’s games

Paradise Jam, Virgin Islands

Virginia vs. Rutgers (3-2), 3:15 p.m.

-          The Scarlet Knights toasted Tulane 75-51 Thursday to open tournament play. The victory was the 435^th at Rutgers for coach C. Vivian Stringer, the most of any basketball coach in school history.

Old Dominion vs. Pittsburgh, 8 p.m.

-          Pittsburgh’s 55-54 loss to South Dakota State must surely sting, as the Panthers (3-1) led 54-51 with 3:29 left but had three turnovers and no points the rest of the way. Ominous stats  – Pittsburgh has held all four of its opponents below 32 percent field goal shooting: ODU is a 31.3 percent shooting team so far.   

South Point Shootout, Las Vegas

Liberty vs. No. 11 Ohio State (2-2), 5:15 p.m.

-          The Lady Flames will try for their first win over a Top-25 opponent since 2005 (def. No. 16 DePaul in the second round of the 2005 NCAA tournament). They’ll get two cracks at it – Saturday’s opponent is No. 16 California. But Liberty will need to avoid getting off to a poor start to give itself a chance. The Lady Flames have trailed by at least eight points at halftime in each of their last three games. This includes a 13-point deficit against N.C. State and a 22-point hole versus JMU. Don’t be fooled by the Buckeyes’ record as the losses are to No. 1 UConn and No. 2 South Carolina.

FIU Turkey Slam, Miami

Richmond vs. Wichita State (0-3), 2 p.m.

-          The Spiders play away from home for the first time this season. Guard Lauren Tolson needs one 3-pointer to have 100 for her career. With no starters and just three returners from last year’s roster in the fold, these Shockers bear virtually no resemblance to the squad that won a school-record 29 games and its third straight Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles.

And in our lone non-tournament game:

Norfolk State at No. 8 Mississippi State (3-0), 7 p.m.

-          The Spartans have allowed at least 82 points in three of their four games (not to mention 94 in an overtime loss to Virginia Union). The Bulldogs are averging 94.7 ppg. Uh-oh….

What happened, what's ahead (Nov. 26)

ICYMI – Wednesday’s results

William and Mary 62, American 51 – Marlena Tremba scored 22 points -  the second time this season she’s had 20 or more – for the Tribe (4-1), who are off to their best start since the 1998-99 season.

George Mason 71, Pepperdine 63 -  Transfer guard Kara Wright’s season-high 20 points (on 7-12 FG shooting, with team highs of four assists, two blocks and two steals) helped the Patriots (2-4) seize third place in the Great Alaska Shootout. The Pats also visited a glacier during their stay (Send pictures!). Erica Ogwumike, a 5-9 freshman and the younger sister of former Stanford stars Nneka and Chiney, led Pepperdine with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Western Kentucky, big winners (84-58) over Mason in the opening round, nipped host Alaska-Anchorage 62-58 in the Shootout title game. Hilltoppers guard Kendall Noble earned tournament MVP honors. Taylor Brown, who averaged 12.5 ppg in the two-game set, represented the Patriots on the all-tournament team (what, no Kara Wright?).

Virginia Tech 73, Wofford 42 – Taijah Campbell (10 points, 10 rebounds), Sidney Cook (14 points, 9 rebounds), Rachel Camp (10 points, 4 assists) and Chanette Hicks (10 points, 6 steals) led the way as the Hokies (5-1) walloped winless Wofford (0-5).

No. 8 Texas 79, Hampton 52 – Malia Tate-DeFreitas scored 21 points and Kaylah Lupoe added 16 points and 8 rebounds as Hampton (0-5) wound down its season-opening "Lady Pirates Across America" tour. We could tell you the competition Hampton faced during this stretch was intense. Or we could simply point out that the combined record of Hampton’s five opponents to date – Iowa State, Oregon, Washington State, UTEP and Texas – is 16-1, and then we wouldn't have to.

Team records

Virginia 4-0; Richmond 4-0; Virginia Tech 5-1; William and Mary 4-1; JMU 3-1; VCU 3-1; Liberty 2-2; Radford 1-2; Longwood 1-3; Old Dominion 1-3; George Mason 2-4; Norfolk State 0-4; Hampton 0-5

Thanksgiving Day games

Paradise Jam, Virgin Islands

Virginia vs. Green Bay (2-0), 1 p.m.

-          Green Bay’s disruptive defense should provide a stern test for the Virginia’s talented guards. The Phoenix forced 25 Vanderbilt turnovers in a 58-56 victory.

Old Dominion vs. No. 6 Maryland (3-0), 5:45 p.m. (approx.)

-          The Terrapins have scored at least 97 points in each of their three games; the Lady Monarchs totaled 87 in their last two games combined. But hey, that's why they play the games, right?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

W&M's Boggs saves game, then wins game

The free throw William and Mary freshman Bianca Boggs drained with one second left to boost the Tribe past Loyola (Md.) 62-61 Monday night understandably made the headline.

But before Boggs could win the game, she had to save the game. So as clutch as that free throw was, the biggest play of the night may have come a few seconds earlier when the 5-8 rookie combo guard closed out quickly and blocked the Greyhounds' potential game-winning 3-pointer to set up the dramatic conclusion.

Now, we'll admit the sight of Boggs charging hard at Loyola's Diana Logan made us a bit nervous. Had we realized Boggs leads the team in personal fouls (14) we'd have been even more nervous. Tribe coach Ed Swanson, on the other hand, probably liked his odds a whole lot better. About a year ago, upon signing Boggs, he called her "a high-energy, high-effort type kid" and added that "she fits in very nicely to what we like to do defensively."

You nailed it, Coach. Boggs not only timed the play perfectly, but also kept the deflection in play and appeared poised to pluck the ball out of the air herself before Logan bumped into her from behind (Go to the 2:21 mark on the above video to see the sequence).

It was Boggs' first blocked shot of the season - . again, perfect timing.

It seemed as though the Greyhounds had fouled the wrong young lady, as Boggs stepped to the line having made 14 of her 16 free throw attempts on the young season. But nothing comes easily to this Tribe, so naturally Boggs missed her first try. And it was a flat-out brick, too, caroming off the rim, the rim again and then the backboard before crashing to the deck.

But the second one was money, and the Tribe (3-1) left the floor winners. 

Bianca Boggs, ladies and gentlemen. We suspect you'll be hearing quite a bit more from her as this season unfolds.

Top 10: Why JMU's Gwathmey went off on Liberty

What caused JMU's Jazmon Gwathmey to light up Liberty (a career-high 33 points in a 72-56 victory) Monday night? This Top-10 list features nine pet theories followed by the one most likely factor.

Drum roll, please....

10. Someone convinced Gwathmey the Liberty contest was actually a CAA tournament game. And as we all know, Gwathmey owns that event.

9. She already knew this, but after Friday's UCLA debacle (fouled out in 16 minutes), Gwathmey drew extra motivation from that reminder that it's a lot more fun actually playing basketball than it is sitting on the bench watching others do so.

8. Wanted to see if she could outscore an entire team for one half. Monday's halftime score: Gwathmey 21, Liberty 16. Check.

7. Misunderstood instructions. Was told to get three 3s, thought they said "3-3." Wound up doing both (3-4 3FGs).

6. Was miffed that we dropped JMU to No. 3 in our weekly state rankings (Oopsie?)

5. Inserted herself in her own lineup on her fantasy women's college basketball team. (Off topic: The one week I sit Russell Wilson is the one week he puts up numbers? Sheesh!)

4.  Wanted to make up for her scoreless, four-fouls-in-12-minutes stint as a redshirt freshman reserve in a 60-48 loss the last time Liberty visited Harrionsburg, on Nov. 4, 2012. Consider that debt settled, Jazmon - with interest.

3. As a tribute to her beloved Lakers, Gwathmey decided to play like the Kobe of old - instead of the old Kobe we're seeing these days (Hey, we're Celtics fans. Cheap shots against the Lakers are in our blood. By the way, good luck with Steph and Golden State tonight!).

2. Wanted to keep JMU's winning streak against in-state opponents intact - it's now 18 and counting since that 2012 loss to Liberty.

And, of course, the No. 1, most obvious reason:

1. Gwathmey is really good at basketball. As Dukes coach Kenny Brooks put it in the postgame, "Jaz was just Jaz tonight."