Pitt Set For Big Road Test At #21 Notre Dame Sunday Afternoon

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's basketball team (8-3, 0-1 ACC) hits the road Sunday night for their first road ACC game of the season as they take on #21 Notre Dame at Purcell Pavilion. Sunday's game will tip at 2:00 pm and air on ACC Network Extra.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Sunday's game will air live on ACC Network Extra with Conor Clingen and Mike Lightfoot on the call. You can watch the game by clicking HERE.
You can also listen to the game on the radio on WJAS 1320 AM or 99.1 FM as the voice of Pitt women's basketball, Josh Rowntree, will have the call from the Pete starting at 1:45 pm. Listen to the call by clicking HERE.
Live stats of the game can be found by clicking HERE.
Live updates throughout the game will also be posted on Twitter by following the Pitt women's basketball account @Pitt_WBB.

THE SERIES WITH NOTRE DAME

This marks the 35^th meeting of all-time between the two programs with the Fighting Irish owning the 30-4 edge in the series.
The Fighting Irish are 14-0 all-time against Pitt in South Bend, IN.
Notre Dame has won 13 of the last 14 games in the series including the 59-48 victory in Pittsburgh last season.
The last win for Pitt in the series came in the 2020 ACC Tournament when Dayshanette Harris hit a last second game-winner to secure the 67-65 victory and advance the Panthers to the second round.

STORYLINES

The Panthers have continued to put an emphasis on rebounding the basketball and it has paid off in a major way. Pitt currently ranks 4th in the NCAA rebounds per game (47.3), 5th in total rebounds (520), 11th in defensive rebounds per game (31.1) and 15th in offensive rebounds per game (16.2). The Panthers have posted four games with 50+ rebounds this season, the most in a season for them since 2009-10.
Pitt has been able to get to the free throw line at a high rate as they rank 1st in the NCAA in free throw attempts (268) while ranking 6th in free throws made (169). Junior Amber Brown leads the ACC and ranks 16th in the NCAA in free throw attempts (66).

OPENING TIP

The Panthers head to South Bend for their first road ACC game of the season Sunday, Dec. 19 at 2:00 pm. Sunday's game will air on ACC Network Extra.
Senior sharpshooter Jayla Everett is leading the Panthers and ranks 6th in the ACC in scoring so far this season as she is averaging 15.9 ppg. She has connected on a team-high 19 three-pointers while ranking 7th in the ACC with 2.4 three-pointers made per game. For her career, Everett has 1,055 points scored through just 77 games.
The Panthers depth has been very evident as Pitt and Duke are the only two teams in the ACC that have at least 10 players averaging at least 3.1 ppg on the year.

REBOUNDING PROWESS

One of the biggest points of emphasis for head coach Lance White since taking over the Panthers program prior to the 2018-19 season was rebounding. Pitt has taken that to heart through the first four years under White's guidance.
The Panthers are the best rebounding team in the ACC and rank 4th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (47.3).
Pitt also ranks 5th in the NCAA in total rebounds with 520, the most through 11 games for Pitt in program history.
The Panthers have grabbed at least 37 rebounds in all 11 games, marking the first time in program history they opened the season with 11 straight games with at least 37 boards.
Pitt also ranks 2nd in the ACC and 15th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game (16.2).
Liatu King leads the team and ranks 3rd in the ACC in rebounds per game (9.5 rpg). She currently ranks 2nd in the ACC and ranks 22nd in the NCAA in total rebounds (105). King leads the ACC in offensive rebounds per game (3.7 orpg) and leads the ACC in total offensive boards (41).
Pitt has grabbed at least 50 rebounds in four games already this season, their most in a season since 2009-10 when they did it five times.

EVERETT PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL

The senior captain has embraced her role as the Panthers' go to option this season. She currently ranks 6th in the ACC in scoring (15.9 ppg) through eight games played.
Everett currently ranks 7th in the ACC in three-pointers made per game (2.4) as well as 11th in three-point field goal percentage (36.5%). Last season she set a program record making 2.7 threes per game.
She is the first Panther since Shavonte Zellous in 2008-09 to open the season with back-to-back 20+ point games as she netted 23 against Radford and 20 against Lafayette.
She has nine 20-point games in her Pitt career and 16 overall.
She has scored in double figures in seven of her eight games this season and in 22 of her 27 games at Pitt.
Everett has made two or more three-pointers in 22 of her 27 games for Pitt and 35 of her 77 career games overall.
She leads the team in steals (13) and ranks second in blocks (9). She has five games with multiple steals and three with multiple blocks.
In the win over Duquesne earlier this year, Everett netted her 1,000th career point.

NEXT UP

Pitt will close out their non-conference slate on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 12:00 pm as they welcome Holy Cross to the Petersen Events Center. Wednesday's game will air live on ACC Network Extra.

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