Pitt Women’s Basketball Set for 42nd Meeting with Penn State

GAME 11: PENN STATE (8-3, 0-0 BIG TEN) VS. PITT (6-4, 0-0 ACC)
Sunday, Dec. 17 | 2 p.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 (6-4, 0-0 ACC) will host in-state rival Penn State (8-3, 0-0 Big Ten) Sunday with tipoff set for 2 p.m. at Petersen Events Center.

HOW TO FOLLOW

The game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, with Kevin Wheeler on the call and Amanda Silay 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

Both Pitt and Penn State are coming off finals week, with no games played since Saturday, Dec. 9.
Pitt is the only team in the ACC with two or more players who list three or more double-doubles each this season. Redshirt junior forward Yacine Diop and junior center Kalista Walters are two of 10 student-athletes in the ACC with three or more double-doubles on the year.
The Panthers lead the ACC with 7.7 blocked shots per game, good for fourth place in the NCAA. Pitt's total blocked shots (77) is ranked second in the nation, behind Binghamton (82).

A WIN WOULD…

Be Pitt's first against Penn State since an 80-59 victory at Petersen Events Center Nov. 24, 2008.
Improve Pitt's record against Penn State to 13-10 when playing at Petersen Events Center. The Panthers have claimed the last two meetings in Pittsburgh (2008, 2006). The Lady Lions lead the overall series, 28-13.
Snap a two-game losing streak for the Panthers in the all-time series against the Lady Lions.
Be head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio's first win against her alma mater (0-1, 2016).
Tie the Panthers' non-conference home win total from last season (seven).

THE RIVALRY

With 135 miles separating the two campuses, Pitt and Penn State played annually in women's basketball from 1974 to 2009, only missing the 1991-92 season. Since 2009, the teams have faced each other only once: last year's 91-62 Pitt loss in University Park, Pa. (Dec. 10, 2016).
Sunday is the 42nd all-time meeting between the teams, with the Lady Lions leading the series, 28-13. The Panthers have a 12-10 advantage when playing in Pittsburgh.
Pitt's last win in the series came Nov. 24, 2008, at Petersen Events Center when senior Xenia Stewart scored her 1,000th career point in Pitt's largest margin of victory over Penn State in school history, 80-59.

CONNECTIONS ON THE SIDELINE

For the second consecutive season and for the second time in her career, Pitt head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio will coach against her alma mater, Penn State. Fellow PSU alumna Director of Operations Brianne O'Rourke will join her on the Pitt sideline.
McConnell-Serio played for the Lady Lions from 1984-88 and O'Rourke from 2005-09. O'Rourke played high school basketball for McConnell-Serio at Oakland Catholic in Pittsburgh.
McConnell-Serio's number 32 is one of four retired women's basketball numbers at Penn State. In four seasons at PSU (1984-85 through 1987-88), she helped the Lady Lions to a 95-33 record and four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. In the process, she was named the school's first First-Team All-American while setting NCAA Division I records for career assists (1,307), assists in a season (355 in 1987) and season assist average (11.8 in 1987). Her assist total and assist per game average led the nation in both 1986 and 1987.
O'Rourke was a four-year letterwinner at Penn State from 2005-10. She earned Big Ten Conference honors in each year of her career, including being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2006. During her senior season she became the sixth player in school history to record 1,000 points and 500 assists in a career.

FRIENDS & FAMILY DAY

Sunday marks Chancellor Patrick D. Gallagher's third annual Friends & Family Day game, where all University of Pittsburgh faculty and staff are invited to attend the game with their loved ones.
Doors to the Petersen Events Center will open at 12:30 p.m. for the 2 p.m. tipoff. Fun activities will be featured in the lobby and on the concourse level, including airbrush tattoo artists, balloon artists, face painters, a Green Screen (with a holiday theme), a poster making station, an inflatable basketball hoop, inflatable corn hole and a cheer & dance station.
Fans are asked to bring an unwrapped toy to put under the Christmas tree in the lobby as part of a toy drive with the Governmental Relations department.

LAST TIME OUT

For the second time this season, redshirt junior forward Yacine Diop and junior center Kalista Walters posted double-doubles in the same game for Pitt as the Panthers downed UNCW, 74-55, Saturday at Petersen Events Center.
The last time the duo recorded double-doubles in the same outing was the Panthers' season-opening win over Youngstown State (Nov. 10).
Diop had her third game of 20 or more points this season, posting 22 to go along with 10 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and two steals. She was 10-of-15 from the field. Walters made 6-of-7 on the day for 12 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. She had three blocks, three steals and two assists.
Including Diop and Walters, junior forward Danielle Garven and freshman guard Pika Rodriguez posted double figures in the scoring column. Garven had 14 points and Rodriguez had a career-high 12 on 4-of-6 made from 3-point range.
The Panthers had 26 assists on 32 made field goals, while shooting 47.8 percent (32-of-67) for the game. Sophomore point guard Jasmine Whitney had a game-high eight dimes with just one turnover.

SCOUTING THE LADY LIONS

Penn State (8-3, 0-0 Big Ten) is coming off a 65-62 loss at St. Bonaventure (Dec. 9), which snapped a three-game win streak for the Lady Lions. PSU is 2-1 when playing on the road this season, with the lone loss being to the Bonnies.
The Lady Lions' last two games have been decided by a combined eight points, including a 65-60 win over Fordham (Dec. 6) and the 65-62 loss at St. Bonaventure.
Three Lady Lions average double figures in the scoring column, led by Amari Carter's 15.5 points per game, and followed by Teniya Page (15.3 ppg) and Jaida Travascio-Green (12.3 ppg).
De'Janae Boykin is the team's leading rebounder with 10.4 boards per game while adding 8.1 points per outing.

UP NEXT

The Panthers will stay at home to host Bucknell Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 2 p.m. at Petersen Events Center. Tickets are available online at PittsburghPanthers.com or by calling 1-800-643-PITT (7488).

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