Pitt Welcomes #4 Louisville To The Pete Thursday Night

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's basketball team (11-16, 2-14 ACC) will look for their first win over a ranked opponent since the 2015 campaign when the #4 Louisville Cardinals come to town Thursday night for a conference matchup. Thursday's game will air on ACC Network Extra at 6:00 pm from the Petersen Events Center.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Thursday's game will air live on ACC Network Extra with Jason Earle and Hailey Zeise 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 Louisville starting at 5:45 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 LOUISVILLE

This meeting marks the 25th between the two teams with Louisville owning the 22-2 lead in the series.
The Cardinals are 9-2 all-time in games played in Pittsburgh.
Louisville has won 18 straight in the series including a 81-39 win over Pitt earlier this season.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS

Louisville enters Thursday's game ranked #4 in the country with a 23-3 overall record and a 14-2 ACC mark. They are coming off of a 70-56 win over Virginia Tech.
The Cardinals are led offensively by sophomore Hailey Van Lith who is averaging 13.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 43.3% from the floor.
Emily Engstler has done it all for Louisville this year as she is averaging 11.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 2.2 assists and 1.8 blocks while shooting 46.9% from the floor and connecting on 26 three-pointers.
Kianna Smith ranks second on the team in scoring (11.8 ppg) while also draining a team-best 50 three-pointers on 38.8% from deep.
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 72.4 points per game while ranking 16th in the NCAA allowing just 52.7 points per contest. They also are grabbing 39.1 rebounds per game so far this season.

STORYLINES

The Panthers have continued to put an emphasis on rebounding the basketball and it has paid off in a major way. Pitt currently leads the ACC and ranks 11th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (43.6) and 7th in total rebounds (1,178). The Panthers have grabbed at least 35 rebounds in 25 of 27 games to start the season, a new program record.
As a team, the Panthers have been great blocking shots this season. Pitt currently ranks 2nd in the ACC and 15th in the NCAA in blocked shots (133). Junior Rita Igbokwe has 60 blocks on the year and now sits alone in 9th place on the Panthers' all-time blocks list with 149 career rejections.

THE OPENING TIP

Pitt returns home for their final two home contests starting Thursday night as they welcome #4 Louisville for a game on ACC Network Extra at 6pm.
Pitt and South Carolina (#1 FG% defense) are the only teams in the nation to hold at least 26 opponents to 45% or less shooting from the floor this season.
Junior Dayshanette Harris has been one of the most consistent players for Pitt this season as she leads the team in scoring (10.0 ppg) while adding 3.2 rebounds and a team-high 2.9 assists. Last time out, Harris netted a team-high 16 points while adding four assists as she knocked down a season-high three triples.

LAST TIME OUT AT VIRGINIA

The Panthers weren't able to overcome a slow start as they fell behind by 10 after the first quarter in the 74-65 loss at Virginia.
Dayshanette Harris and Destiny Strother led the way for Pitt with 16 points each while Harris added four assists and two steals. Strother and Harris each netted three triples in the loss.
Sophomore Liatu King finished her third double-double of the season as she posted 10 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 27 minutes of work.
The Cavaliers shot lights out from the floor as they finished shooting 51.2% from the floor. It marked the first time all season Pitt wasn't able to hold an opponent to 45% or less shooting.

IG-BLOCK-WE MOVING UP THE BLOCK CHARTS

Junior Rita Igbokwe has become one of the most feared defenders in the ACC as she has turned into a premier shot blocker for the Panthers.
So far this season, Igbokwe ranks 3rd in the ACC and 17th in the NCAA with 60 blocks. She has recorded 15 multi-block games this season.
For her career, Igbokwe has 149 blocked shots which currently ranks 9th in program history. She is just 13 shy of 8th place on the list.
Igbokwe is the fastest Pitt player since Gail Aughburns (1980) to record 149 blocked shots. It took Igbokwe just 77 career games to reach the mark.

PITT'S TOP-10 CAREER BLOCKS LIST
# Name               Blocks              Seasons
1. Gail Aughburns 241                1978-82
2. Wanda Randolph 211               1976-79
3. Jennifer Bruce    203                1981-85
4. Nickeia Morris   190                1996-00
5. Connie Hurt       189                1987-91
6. Chelsea Cole      171                2007-11
7. Kim Tirik            170                1982-86
8. Jill McElhinny     162                1989-93
9. Rita Igbokwe      149          2019-Present
10. Jennifer Shingler 147              1986-90

NEXT UP

The Panthers wrap up their 2021-22 regular season at home Sunday afternoon at 2pm as they welcome Florida State to the Petersen Events Center. Sunday's game will air on the ACC Network.
Pitt will honor their two seniors, Mary Dunn and Ismini Prapa, before Sunday's game with a pregame ceremony.

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Pitt Welcomes #4 Louisville To The Pete Thursday Night

Players Mentioned

Mary Dunn

Dayshanette Harris

Rita Igbokwe

Liatu King

Ismini Prapa

Destiny Strother

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