Panthers to Cap Non-Conference Play on New Year’s Eve

GAME 14: CHICAGO STATE (0-14, 0-0 WAC) VS. PITT (7-6, 0-1 ACC)
Sunday, Dec. 31 | 1 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh, Pa. | Petersen Events Center (12,508)
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets | Radio: 1320AM WJAS
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GAME NOTES

PITTSBURGH – Pitt women's basketball (7-6, 0-1 ACC) will play on New Year's Eve for the ninth time in program history when it hosts Chicago State (0-14, 0-0 WAC) Sunday at 1 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 1320AM WJAS 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

Freshman guard Pika Rodriguez ranks second in the nation and holds the best 3-point field goal percentage in the ACC at 55.3 percent (21-of-38). She ranks 11th in the league with 2.1 threes made per game this season.
The Panthers continue to lead the ACC with 7.1 blocked shots per game, good for fourth place in the NCAA. Pitt's total blocked shots (92) is ranked third in the nation.
Pitt, North Carolina and Notre Dame are the only teams 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 14 student-athletes in the ACC with three or more double-doubles on the year.

A WIN WOULD…

Give the Panthers their most non-conference home wins (eight) since going 9-1 in 2014-15.
Give Pitt a 1-0 advantage in the series against Chicago State.
Give the Panthers a 6-3 record when playing on New Year's Eve.

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR

Pitt has won its last five games played on New Year's Eve, with its last loss coming against Notre Dame in 1997 (66-46) at Fitzgerald Field House.
The Panthers are 5-3 all-time when playing on Dec. 31, and are 4-1 when playing in Pittsburgh.
Here's a look at Pitt's game-by-game record on New Year's Eve:

Record: 5-3
Dec. 31, 1982 - at Miami - L, 79-75 (2OT)
Dec. 31, 1995 - at San Diego - L, 61-58
Dec. 31, 1997 - Notre Dame - L, 66-46
Dec. 31, 2002 - Howard - W, 94-75
Dec. 31, 2003 - Fordham - W, 61-48
Dec. 31, 2009 - Mount St. Mary's - W, 57-47
Dec. 31, 2010 - at Central Mich. - W, 94-78
Dec. 31, 2011 - Lafayette - W, 74-69 (OT)

LAST TIME OUT

Freshman guard Pika Rodriguez contributed a career-high 17 points off the bench as Pitt dropped its ACC opener at Virginia, 62-50, Thursday night at John Paul Jones Arena.
The Hartford, Conn., native netted 6-of-10 from the field and a career best 5-of-8 from 3-point range as the Panthers' lone double-figure scorer. Junior center Kalista Walters had her second consecutive game with 10 rebounds to go along with six points.
The Panthers trailed by as many as 26 points (48-22) with 7:16 left in the third quarter but were able to make it an eight-point game (52-44) with 5:50 remaining in the fourth. Pitt out-scored the Cavaliers 17-12 in the final period.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS

Chicago State (0-14, 0-0 WAC) has dropped 49 consecutive games, with their last victory coming Feb. 4, 2016, vs. Seattle. The Cougars have not won a road game since Dec. 15, 2015, at Jackson State, totaling a streak of 29 road losses.
The Cougars list two double-figure scorers in Tyeshia Bowers (13.3 ppg) and Phylicia Johnson (12.1 ppg). Ines Mata Boix is CSU's leading rebounder with 7.9 boards per game.
Sunday will be Pitt's first meeting with Chicago State.

UP NEXT

The Panthers will host Wake Forest for their first ACC home game of the season Thursday at 7 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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