Panthers to Host Big Red for Ninth Annual School Day Game

GAME 2: CORNELL (0-1, 0-0 IVY LEAGUE) AT PITT (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
NINTH ANNUAL SCHOOL DAY
Monday, Nov. 13 | 11 a.m. ET
Pittsburgh, Pa. | Petersen Events Center (12,508)
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets | Radio: KDKAFM-HD3
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GAME NOTES

PITTSBURGH – Pitt women's basketball (1-0, 0-0 ACC) will welcome students and teachers from more than 110 Pittsburgh-area schools when the team hosts its ninth annual School Day game against Cornell (0-1, 0-0 Ivy) at 11 a.m. Monday at Petersen Events Center.

HOW TO FOLLOW

The game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, with Mike Nicastro on the call and Kevin Wheeler as analyst.
Live stats will be available at PittsburghPanthers.com.
On the radio, fans can find the game on KDKAFM-HD3 in the Pittsburgh area with George Von Benko on the call and Jesse Irwin as analyst.
Fans may follow live updates on Twitter and Instagram at @Pitt_WBB.

PAW PRINTS

More than 110 schools from the Pittsburgh area will be represented at School Day, with about 200 buses unloading into the Oakland area Monday morning.
The 2017-18 Pitt women's basketball team features three student-athletes who attended Pittsburgh-area schools: Yacine Diop (Seton-La Salle), Alayna Gribble (Norwin), and Cassidy Walsh (Seton-La Salle). Additionally, three members of the Pitt coaching staff attended Pittsburgh schools: Head Coach Suzie McConnell-Serio (Seton-La Salle), Associate Head Coach Kathy McConnell-Miller (Seton-La Salle) and Director of Operations Brianne O'Rourke (Oakland Catholic).
Pitt is 2-0 when playing on this date (Nov. 13) in history, with both wins coming at Petersen Events Center. In 2012, the Panthers topped Siena, 75-50, and defeated Wagner, 67-41, to open the 2015-16 season.

A WIN WOULD…

Give the Panthers a 2-0 record for the third consecutive season, and for the fourth time in head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio's five seasons at Pitt.
Give the Panthers a 2-0 advantage against the Big Red. Pitt's only other meeting with Cornell was last season's 56-44 win at Petersen Events Center (Nov. 26, 2016).
Give McConnell-Serio a 9-2 head coaching record against Ivy League opponents.
Extend Pitt's win streak on School Day to three games and improve the Panthers' record to 7-2 when hosting the promotion.

ABOUT SCHOOL DAY

School Day is an opportunity for local area students to visit one of the top research universities in the country and watch live Division I basketball while participating in fun contests and learning activities.
All tickets are $1 and all students in attendance will receive educational workbooks. Last season, the Panthers played in front of a School Day record crowd of nearly 10,000 fans when they defeated Youngstown State.
In order to support education beyond the School Day event, each school in attendance will be sent free game vouchers, which may be used to reward students throughout the school year for academic excellence. Students may redeem these vouchers at a women's basketball home game this season for free admission for themselves and up to three guests.

SCHOOL DAY HISTORY

The School Day game dates back to November 2009. Pitt is 6-2 all-time when hosting the promotion, dropping decisions in 2012 and 2014.
Last season, a School Day-record 9,771 fans attended the game, besting the previous mark of 5,031 in 2011.

DATE                    OPPONENT                        RESULT                ATTENDANCE
Nov. 17, 2009     North Florida                     W, 61-35             4,276
Nov. 12, 2010     Youngstown State           W, 78-58             4,143
Nov. 18, 2011     Loyola (Md.)                      W, 65-59             5,031
Nov. 9, 2012       Youngstown State           L, 64-50               4,036
Nov. 8, 2013       Bucknell                              W, 66-51             4,698
Nov. 14, 2014     Princeton                            L, 59-43               3,798
Nov. 13, 2015     Wagner                               W, 67-41             3,906
Nov. 14, 2016     Youngstown State           W, 63-50             9,771

LAST TIME OUT

Paced by double-doubles from junior center Kalista Walters and redshirt junior forward Yacine Diop, Pitt won its third consecutive season-opening game with a 66-58 defeat of Youngstown State (0-1, 0-0 Horizon) Friday night at Petersen Events Center.
Walters grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds to go with 17 points. In her debut after sitting out 2016-17 due to injury, Diop posted 14 points and 11 rebounds for her first double-double performance since the 2016 ACC Tournament against North Carolina. Newcomer junior forward Danielle Garven added a team-high 18 points to round out double-figure scoring for Pitt.
The Panthers had the upper hand in field goal percentage (42.6 percent to 37.3 percent), rebounding (39-34), points off turnovers (16-10), second chance points (11-8) and fast break points (14-2).

SCOUTING THE BIG RED

Cornell is off to an 0-1 start to the season after falling on the road to Loyola, 78-63, Friday. Sophomore guard Samantha Widmann led the Big Red in scoring and rebounding with 19 points and eight boards. Senior forward Christine Ehland was Cornell's only other double-figure scorer with 10 points, and added five rebounds.
Cornell and Pittsburgh have played just once in women's basketball, meeting for the first time last season, a 56-44 victory for the Panthers in Pittsburgh.

UP NEXT

The Panthers will host crosstown rival Duquesne Thursday at 7 p.m. at Petersen Events Center for the 36th all-time meeting between the teams. Tickets are available online at PittsburghPanthers.com or by calling 1-800-643-PITT (7488).

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