CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (1-0) is set to travel to Davidson on Thursday (Nov. 5). Tipoff from John M. Belk Arena is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
Broadcast Information
- Thursday’s game will be streamed on ESPN+.
- The game will also be broadcast on WINA (98.9-FM/1070-AM), VirginiaSports.com and the Virginia Spots mobile app.
- Live statistics will be provided through StatBroadcast, which can be accessed on VirginiaSports.com.
For Openers:
- Virginia enters the season receiving votes in both the Women’s Basketball AP Poll as well as the USA Today Coaches Poll.
- Virginia was picked to finish sixth in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, it’s highest position since being picked sixth in 2017.
- The Cavaliers enter the season coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018 and their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2000.
- Virginia is in its 54th season of women’s basketball sporting a 1,015-576 (.638) record.
Series History:
- Virginia is 1-1 against Davidson in a series that dates to 2007.
- Head Coach Aaron Roussell is 7-2 against the Wildcats in his career as a head coach, all nine games took place during Roussell’s tenure at Richmond.
- Roussell has won six consecutive games against Davison.
- The game will mark the first between the teams in Davidson, both prior meetings took place at John Paul Jones Arena.
- Assistant coach Ariel Stephenson spent a pair of seasons at Davidson first as the program’s director of player development before being promoted to director of basketball operations in 2022-23.
The Roussell Era Begins:
- Head Coach Aaron Roussell takes charge of the Virginia program in his 22nd season as a head coach with a 460-194 record accumulated from stops at UChicago (DIII), Bucknell and Richmond.
- Roussell spent the last seven seasons at the University of Richmond, leading the Spiders to a 148-72 record and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Over the course of his 22-season career, Roussell has led his teams to five NCAA Tournament Appearances (2017, 2019, 2024, 2025, 2026)
- He has combined for 11 seasons with 20+ wins and led his teams to a total of six conference championships.
- Roussell’s tenure began with an 87-45 win over Maryland Eastern Shore Monday (Nov. 2) at JPJ.
The 2026 Cavaliers:
Johnson Chasing History:
- Kymora Johnson has collected multiple preseason honors ahead of 2026.
- She was named a preseason All-ACC selection for the third consecutive season
- She also landed on the Wade Trophy Watch list as well as preseason watch lists for both the Nancy Lieberman Award – which recognizes the nation’s best point guard – as well as the Naismith Player of the Year.
- She ranks 8th in program history with 1,746 points – 21 points from passing Tora Suber in seventh.
- Johnson is 131 points from reaching the top-five in career points at UVA (Lyndra Littles, 1,876), and 390 from passing Dawn Staley for second (2,135).
- Only three Cavaliers have ever surpassed the 2,000-point threshold in program history.
- Johnson ranks third in program history with 562 career assists, 167 behind Dawn Staley in second.
On the Horizon:
- The Cavaliers will return to John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday (Nov. 8) when the team hosts William & Mary.
- Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX)
- Fans can also listen live at 98.9-FM/1070AM WINA
Source: virginiasports.com
