Panthers Set For A Pair Of Games At Daytona Beach Classic This Weekend

Friday, November 24

Daytona Beach, FL

3:30 PM

Pitt

Northern Kentucky

Panthers Set For A Pair Of Games At Daytona Beach Classic This Weekend

11/23/2023 2:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GAME 6

Pitt vs. Northern Kentucky

Nov. 24, 2023 / 3:30 PM / Daytona Beach, FL (Ocean Center)

GAME 7

Pitt vs. Akron

Nov. 25, 2023 / 1:15 PM / Daytona Beach, FL (Ocean Center)

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – The Pitt women’s basketball team (1-4, 0-0 ACC) heads down to Daytona Beach, FL for a pair of games this weekend as they are set to compete in the Daytona Beach Classic. The Panthers will battle Northern Kentucky on Friday afternoon before taking on Akron Saturday afternoon at the Ocean Center.

HOW FOLLOW

Both games will air live on FloHoops by clicking HERE.
You can also listen to the games on pittsburghpanthers.com as the voice of Pitt women's basketball, Josh Rowntree, will have the call from the Ocean Center starting 15 minutes before tip both days. To listen, click HERE.
Live updates throughout the game will also be posted on Twitter by following the Pitt women's basketball account @Pitt_WBB.

LIATU REIGNS KING

Senior Liatu King enters this season with her expectations at an all-time high as the Pitt coaching staff has instilled a confidence in her as a go-to option this season.
King has opened her season on fire as she has secured four double-doubles in the first five games of the season. She opened the season with three straight double-doubles to become the first Panther in over 20 years to do so.
She is tied for the lead in the NCAA this season with four double-doubles as she is one of seven players to do so (one of five Power 5 players).
Last time out, King led Pitt with 22 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks while going 10-for-20 from the floor. It marked her second 20+ point game of the season and fifth of her career.
King is one of two Power 5 players this season (Cameron Brink, Stanford) to post two games with at least 22 points and 11 rebounds. She is also the only player in the nation with two games of at least 22 points, 11 rebounds and two steals.
So far this season, she is averaging a team-high 17.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 45.8% from the floor and 80.8% from the free throw line. She is the only player in the nation averaging at least 17.4 ppg, 12.4 rpg and 2.0 bpg so far this season.
Her 12.4 rebounds per game leads the ACC and ranks seventh overall in the NCAA this season. Her 5.0 offensive rebounds per game ranks second in the ACC and 10th in the NCAA so far this season.
Against WVU earlier this season, King put together a massive game for Pitt as she netted a career-high 28 points and 14 rebounds while going 10-for-23 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Her 28-point game marked the most points in a game for a Pitt player since Alayna Gribble netted 29 points against Georgia Tech on Jan. 14, 2018.
The 28-point and 14-rebound double-double marked the most points scored in a double-double for a Pitt player since Asia Logan (36 pts, 14 rebs) on Nov. 11, 2012 against William & Mary. She is also one of just four players in the NCAA over the past two seasons to post a statline of at least 28 points, 14 rebounds and eight made free throws against a Power 5 opponent (Angel Reese, Ashley Jones, Maddy Siegrist).
In the season opening win over Yale, King didn’t disappoint as she snagged a double-double with 16 points, 14 rebounds, three steals, three blocks and two assists across 30 minutes of work. She is the first Panther since Dayshanette Harris in 2020-21 (11 pts, 10 rebs) to record a double-double in a season opener for Pitt.
For her career, King has now recorded 13 double-doubles (points + rebounds) including a career-high five last season.
She has scored in double figures 29 times in her career while recording multiple blocks 22 times.
A ferocious rebounder, King has grabbed at least five rebounds in 52 of her 80 career games. She has led the Panthers in rebounding 35 times while snagging 10+ boards 19 times in her career.

MALCOLM CONTINUES CONSISTENT PLAY

Sophomore Aislin Malcolm has turned into one of the most consistent players for the Panthers so far this season.
Last time out against Coppin State, Malcolm netted 13 points, three rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks in 32 minutes of work. She also went 4-for-5 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the free throw line in the loss.
In a road game against George Mason, Malcolm had the best game of her young career as she netted a career-high 18 points and three assists while going 8-for-15 from the floor and 2-for-5 from behind the arc across a career-high 34 minutes of work.
The 18-point effort marked her first career game scoring in double figures.
So far this season, Malcolm is averaging 8.6 points and 2.2 assists while shooting 38.2% from the floor. She has played 30+ minutes in four of five games this season after not playing 30+ minutes in a single game as a freshman.

Sophomore Aislin Malcolm has two double figure scoring games this season

More Notes

STORYLINES

Senior forward Liatu King is enjoying a great start to the season as she is one of three players averaging a double-double in the ACC (17.4 ppg, 12.4 rpg). King is currently tied for the lead in the nation in double-doubles (four) while ranking seventh in the country in rebounds per game (12.4 rpg). She is the only player in the nation this year averaging at least 17.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals.
Forward Rapuluchi Ayodele has been great for the Panthers early on this season as she is averaging 9.2 points and 11.4 rebounds while shooting a team-high 47.1% from the floor. She currently ranks second in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (6.0 orpg).

THE OPENING TIP

Pitt hits the road Friday afternoon for their first of two neutral site games at the Daytona Beach Classic as they battle Northern Kentucky at 3:30 pm at the Ocean Center. The tournament will be streamed on FloHoops.
Sophomore guard Aislin Malcolm is turning into a solid player for the Panthers as she is averaging a career-high 8.6 points, 2.2 assists and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 38.2% from the floor. She netted 13 points, three rebounds, three steals and two blocks last time out.
Freshman Aaryn Battle earned her second straight start last time out and she produced a career-high five assists across 28 minutes of work.

SERIES HISTORY – NORTHERN KENTUCKY

This meeting marks the fifth between the two teams in program history with Pitt owning the 3-1 lead in the all-time series.
The Panthers have won three straight in the series including the last matchup between the two on Nov. 22, 1980 in Pittsburgh.
Pitt is 1-0 against the Norse in neutral site games in the all-time series.
The Panthers are 61-9 all-time against current members of the Horizon League.

SERIES HISTORY – AKRON

This meeting marks the fourth all-time between the two teams with Pitt owning the 3-0 lead in the series.
The two teams last met on November 29, 2006 in Akron as Pitt collected the 74-55 road victory over the Zips.
The Panthers have won each of the previous three meetings by an average of 24.3 points per game.
Pitt is 29-15 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference.

SCOUTING THE NORSE

Northern Kentucky enters Friday’s game with a 1-2 overall record after defeating Marshall last time out.
The Norse are being led offensively by Khamari Mitchell-Steen who is averaging 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Carter McCray is averaging 17.0 points and 13.0 rebounds while shooting 50% from the floor.
Macey Blevins is enjoying a nice start to the season as she is averaging 14.7 points and 3.0 assists while Kennedy Igo is averaging 12.5 points while connecting on all six of her triple attempts.
As a team, Northern Kentucky is averaging 77.7 points while allowing 79.0 points per contest. They are shooting 47.7% from the floor and 40.4% from behind the arc on the year.

SCOUTING THE ZIPS

Akron is 1-2 overall on the year after collecting a 63-58 overtime victory over Robert Morris last time out.
The Zips are being led offensively by Reagan Bass who is averaging 20.3 points and 14.3 rebounds while shooting 48.8% from the floor. Morgan Haney is averaging 13.0 points and 3.0 rebounds across an average of 36.6 minutes per game.
As a team, Akron is averaging 70.0 points per game while allowing 75.3 points per contest. They are grabbing an average of 43.0 rebounds per game while allowing opponents to grab 38.3 rebounds per game.

LAST TIME OUT – VS. COPPIN STATE

Trailing by as many at 17 points in the first half, the Panthers came out of the locker room like a new team and nearly finished off the comeback win before ultimately falling 61-56 to Coppin State on Tuesday afternoon.
The Panthers outscored the Eagles by 11 in the second half and the Pitt defense held Coppin State to just three made field goals across the final 20 minutes in the loss.
Senior Liatu King led the way once again for Pitt as she notched her fourth double-double with a team-high 22 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Aislin Malcolm was solid for Pitt as she netted 13 points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists in the loss.
As a team, Pitt held the slim 36-34 edge in rebounds while the Eagles made 18 free throws in the game compared to just nine for the Panthers.