Pitt Set For Road Test At #23 North Carolina Thursday Night

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's basketball team (11-11, 2-9 ACC) returns to action Thursday night as they head down to Chapel Hill to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. Thursday's tip is set for 6:00 pm at Carmichael Arena and the game will air on ACC Network Extra. The Panthers are searching for their 12^th win of the season which would mark the most wins since head coach Lance White took over the program in 2018-19.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Thursday's game will air live on ACC Network Extra with Kyle Straub 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 NORTH CAROLINA

This meeting marks the 12th between the two programs with Pitt holding the 6-5 lead in the all-time series.
UNC leads the series 3-1 in games played in North Carolina.
The Tar Heels have won two straight with Pitt's last win coming on Feb. 14, 2019 in Pittsburgh.

ABOUT THE TAR HEELS

North Carolina enters Thursday's game with a 18-4 overall record and an 8-4 ACC mark so far this season. The Tar Heels have won two straight, downing Wake Forest and Miami.
The Tar Heels are led offensively by Deja Kelly who is averaging 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while connecting on a team-high 39 three-pointers.
Sophomore Alyssa Ustby is enjoying a great season as she is averaging 13.3 points, a team-high 8.4 rebounds and a team-high 1.9 steals while connecting on 46.8% of her shots.
As a team, North Carolina is averaging 75.4 points per game (3rd in the ACC) while allowing just 55.0 points per game (4th in the ACC). They also rank 2nd in the ACC in rebounds per game (44.1 rpg) and 2nd in offensive rebounds per game (14.7 orpg).

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 8th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (45.3) and 7th in total rebounds (996). The Panthers have recorded at least 35 rebounds in all 22 games to start the season, a new program record.
Pitt has been able to get to the free throw line at a high rate as they rank 19th in the NCAA in free throw attempts (447). They also rank 20th in the NCAA in blocked shots (106) led by junior Rita Igbokwe who has 44. She is nine blocks away from 10th place on the Panthers' all-time blocks list.

THE OPENING TIP

The Panthers hit the road to take on North Carolina Thursday night at 6pm on ACC Network Extra.
The Panthers are one of two teams in the ACC to have seven different starting lineups in ACC games. Junior Amber Brown is the lone Panther to start every game this season. She has started all 72 games across her Pitt career and is averaging 28.2 minutes per game in her career.
Junior Rita Igbokwe is playing at a high level right now, especially on the glass. Over her last four games, she is averaging 7.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while shooting 54.5% from the floor.

LAST TIME OUT VS DUKE (2/3/22)

The Panthers couldn't get it going offensively against the Blue Devils as they dropped their second straight, 54-39.
The Pitt offense shot just 23.1% from the floor while the defense had a strong night, holding Duke to just 35% shooting and turning them over 18 times.
Pitt had five players net six points in the loss. Amber Brown finished with six points and eight rebounds while Jayla Everett finished off her game with six points and four boards in the loss.
The Panthers held the 18-9 edge in fast break scoring while also netting 16 points off of 18 Duke turnovers in the loss.

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 lead the ACC and rank 8th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (45.3) so far this season.
Pitt also ranks 7th in the NCAA in total rebounds with 996, the most through 22 games for Pitt in program history. Pitt ranks 9th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game (16.0) and 24th in defensive rebounds per game (29.3).
They lead the ACC in offensive rebounds per game (16.0) while posting 12 games with 17+ offensive boards and three with 20+. Rita Igbokwe ranks 2nd in the ACC in offensive rebounds per game in conference games (3.9 orpg).
The Panthers have grabbed at least 35 rebounds in all 22 games, marking the first time in program history they opened the season with 22 straight games with at least 35 boards.
In the loss at Syracuse, the Panthers grabbed 62 rebounds which marked their most in a single game since grabbing 68 against Providence in a double overtime game in 2013.
The 62 rebounds are the most Pitt has grabbed in regulation against a Power 5 program in school history and most in regulation against anyone since Dec. 3, 1976 when they snagged 84 rebounds against East Stroudsburg.
Pitt has grabbed at least 50 rebounds in six games already this season, their most in a season since 2008-09 when they did it seven times.

DEFENSE STEPPING UP

So far this season, Pitt is holding opponents to just 36.4% from the floor.
Pitt ranks 5th in the ACC and 38th in the NCAA in field goal percentage defense this season.
The Panthers have held all 22 opponents this season to 45% or less shooting from the floor. It marks the first time in program history they have opened the season with 22 straight games holding opponents to 45% or less shooting.
Pitt is one of three Power 5 teams this season that have held all 22 opponents to 45% or less shooting this season. The others are South Carolina (#1 FG% def) and Georgia Tech (#5 FG% def).
The Panthers have held four opponents to 30% or less shooting from the floor this season. It marks the most such games since 2017-18 when Pitt held four opponents to less than 30% from the floor in 30 games played.
Pitt has held 14 of 22 opponents to less than 40% from the floor, the most through 22 games since 2017-18 (16 of 22 opponents).

NEXT UP

Pitt returns home Sunday for their 15^th annual Pink the Pete game as they welcome the Syracuse Orange to the Petersen Events Center. Sunday's game will tip at 2:00 pm and air on ACC Network with Angel Gray and Chelsea Gray on the call.
Pink the Pete t-shirts, poms and towels will be given away at the door on Sunday (while supplies last). There will also be free Oakland Zoo t-shirts given away to any Oakland Zoo members in attendance.

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