Lady Hoyas could be preseason dancing

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WASHINGTON - The No. 25/RV Georgetown University women's basketball squad (2-0) will travel to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill on Wednesday evening to face the Tar Heels in the semifinals of the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament. The game will be played at Carmichael Arena and the winner will advance to the Preseason WNIT Championship on Sunday.

The Hoyas are 2-0 on the season with victories over Sacred Heart and No. 11/10 Delaware in the opening rounds of the Preseason WNIT. In the season opener, Georgetown defeated Sacred Heart, 90-63, in McDonough Arena. The squad followed that up with a 62-56 upset victory at Delaware on Sunday.

Junior forward Andrea White (Lancaster, Va./Lancaster) led the way against the Pioneers with 24 points, while senior shooting guard Sugar Rodgers (Suffolk, Va./King's Fork) added 22 points and 10 boards. Rodgers followed that up with 35 points in the win at Delaware.

This marks the program's first-ever trip to the Preseason WNIT semifinals. GU's last appearance in the Preseason WNIT was in 2000.

On Monday, the Hoyas moved back into the national polls after a one-week hiatus. Georgetown was previously ranked for 51 weeks sitting as high as No. 10 in the AP Poll.

Currently leading the way for the Hoyas is Rodgers, who is also leading the BIG EAST Conference in scoring. The shooting guard is averaging 28.5 ppg and 7.0 rpg as well as posting 5.5 steals per game and 3.5 assists per game. She is also shooting 88.2 percent at the line. White is second with 15.5 ppg and 7 .0 rpg, while sophomore guard Jasmine Jackson (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) rounds out the top three with 9.0 ppg.

Georgetown is shooting 43.4 percent for the season from the field and 73.1 percent at the line, while also outrebounding opponents, 87-74. The Hoyas have forced 49 turnovers in two games.

The Tar Heels are 2-0 on the season with a pair of victories in the Preseason WNIT. On Friday, the squad downed Davidson, 70-59, and on Sunday, UNC defeated Duquesne, 62-58, to advance to the semifinals. The squad was given home-court advantage throughout the tournament so the team played both contests at Carmichael Arena.

Leading the way for UNC is senior guard Tierra Ruffin-Pratt who is averaging 19.0 ppg. Freshman forward Xylina McDaniel has 12.5 ppg and senior center Waltiea Rolle has managed 11.0 ppg. Rolle and senior guard Krista Gross both have 11.0 rpg on the season. UNC is outrebounding opponents with a +5.5 margin and shooting 37.4 percent from the field.

Georgetown is 0-1 all-time against North Carolina with the lone meeting coming on December 29, 1995. Georgetown fell, 82-61, in a neutral site matchup.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Live stats and live audio are available through the Tar Heel's athletic website.