Panthers Set To Play Ball State & Georgia In Sun Coast Challenge Down In Tampa

Tuesday, December 19

Tampa, FL

12 PM

Pitt

Ball State

Panthers Set To Play Ball State & Georgia In Sun Coast Challenge Down In Tampa

12/18/2023 10:16:00 AM | Women's Basketball

GAME 11

Pitt vs. Ball State

Dec. 19, 2023 / 12:00 PM / New Port Richey, FL (Pasco-Hernando State College)

GAME 12

Pitt vs. Georgia

Dec. 20, 2023 / 12:00 PM / New Port Richey, FL (Pasco-Hernando State College)

GAME NOTES

SCHEDULE

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women’s basketball team (5-5, 0-0 ACC) heads south this week to participate in the Sun Coast Challenge in Tampa, FL. The Panthers will battle Ball State on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at noon and Georgia on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at noon at Pasco-Hernando State College.

HOW FOLLOW

Both games will air on BallerTV.com and can be purchased by clicking HERE.
You can also listen to the game on pittsburghpanthers.com as the voice of Pitt women's basketball, Josh Rowntree, will have the call from the Pete starting at 11:45 am. 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.

DOUBLE TROUBLE OFF THE BENCH

The dynamic bench duo of Jala Jordan and Bella Perkins had a massive game last time out to lead the Panthers to the 94-82 win over Lehigh.
Jordan played 23 minutes off the bench and tied a career-high with 23 points and five rebounds while going 10-for-15 from the floor.
Perkins played 29 minutes off the bench and posted a career-high 22 points, five assists, three steals and three rebounds while going 4-for-7 from behind the arc.
The 45 points combined off the bench for the duo marked the most in a single game by teammates in the ACC since Nov. 17, 2013. The UNC duo of Allisha Gray (30 points) and Jessica Washington (16 points) combined for 46 points in a win over UCLA.
Jordan and Perkins are the first ACC teammates in over 15 seasons to each score 22+ points off the bench in the same game. They are one of just five sets of teammates to score 22+ points each in the same game in all Power 5 Conferences over the past 15 seasons.
They are also one of two sets of teammates to pull off the feat in the NCAA this season (Saint Louis).

BATTLE MAKING BIG IMPACT IN YEAR ONE

After a slow start to the season, sophomore point guard Marley Washenitz has picked up her play for the Panthers.
Last time out, Washenitz had the best game of her young career as she notched her first career double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes of work.
The 13 points and 10 rebounds were both career-highs while she added two steals and just one turnover in the win over Lehigh.
She is one of just eight players in the NCAA this year to post a game with at least 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to go along with one or fewer turnovers.
For the year, Washenitz is averaging career-highs in minutes (28.8 mpg), points (4.5 ppg), assists (4.3 apg) and rebounds (4.0 rpg) while ranking second on the team with 10 steals.
Her 4.3 assists per game so far this season ranks 10th in the ACC.
Over her last four games, Washenitz is averaging 5.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. She has been particularly strong on the offensive glass over her past four games as she has snagged 12 offensive boards (3.0 orpg) including a career-high five in the win over Lehigh.

Sophomore Marley Washenitz netted a career-high 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the win over Lehigh. It marked her first career double-double

More Notes

STORYLINES

Senior forward Liatu King has been the best player on the floor all year long for Pitt and she continued that last time out as she grabbed her seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Lehigh. On the season, King leads the team in scoring (20.8 ppg), rebounding (11.1 rpg), steals (2.3 spg) and blocks (1.6 bpg) while shooting 55.3% from the floor.
The bench duo of Bella Perkins and Jala Jordan made some history last time out. Jordan netted a game-high 23 points and Perkins had a career-high 22 as they became the first ACC teammates to each score 22+ points in the same game in over 15 seasons.

THE OPENING TIP

Pitt heads south for the Sun Coast Challenge in Tampa, FL on Tuesday, Dec. 19 as they take on Ball State at 12:00 pm. Tuesday’s game will air on Baller TV.
The Pitt offense has begun to hit its stride of late as they have scored at least 72 points in five straight games for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign. Pitt owns a 5-1 record this season when scoring at least 70 points.
King has been on a tear to open the season as she currently leads the ACC and ranks 18th in the NCAA with 208 total points. Her 208 points through the first 10 games of the season are the most by a Pitt player since Lorri Johnson during the 1990-91 campaign for the Panthers.

SERIES HISTORY – BALL STATE

This meeting marks the sixth of all-time between the two programs with Pitt owning the 4-1 lead in the series.
Ball State won the last meeting between the two teams on Dec. 11, 2022 by the score of 68-66 in overtime in Pittsburgh.
The Panthers won each of the first four games in the series including two in Muncie.
Pitt and Ball State have never played a neutral site game.
The Panthers currently own a 31-16 record against current members of the Mid-American Conference.

SERIES HISTORY – GEORGIA

This meeting marks the second between the two programs of all-time with the Bulldogs owning the 1-0 lead in the series.
Georgia collected a 100-69 victory over Pitt on March 26, 1981 in the NIT in Amarillo, TX.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS

Ball State enters the Sun Coast Challenge with an 7-2 overall record after downing Western Kentucky 67-59 last time out.
They are led offensively by Madelyn Bischoff who is averaging 12.9 points and 2.3 rebounds while connecting on a team-high 27 three-pointers and shooting 52.9% from deep on the year. Ally Becki is averaging 11.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and a team-high 4.9 assists while connecting on 13 triples.
Marie Kiefer has started all nine games and is averaging 8.3 points and a team-high 5.0 rebounds while shooting 48.2% from the floor.
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 74.4 points per game while holding opponents to 69.0 points per game. They are shooting 45.2% from the floor and 35.2% from behind the arc while connecting on 77 three-pointers (8.6/game). They only average 29.1 rebounds per game while allowing 34.8 rebounds per game against.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS

Georgia enters Wednesday’s game with a 7-3 overall record as they lost 64-53 last time out against Georgia Tech at home.
The Bulldogs are being led offensively by Javyn Nicholson who is averaging 15.4 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 42.4% from the floor. Zoesha Smith is averaging 12.1 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 47.3% from the floor and De’Mauri Flournoy is averaging 10.3 points while connecting on a team-high 18 three-pointers.
As a team, Georgia is averaging 71.0 points per game while allowing 62.5 points per contest. They are shooting 41.9% from the floor while holding opponents to 35.1% on the season. They average 43.7 rebounds per game while averaging 15.1 turnovers per contest.

LAST TIME OUT – LEHIGH

The Panthers were able to secure their third straight win Sunday afternoon over Lehigh behind a season-best offensive output that saw Pitt score 94 points. The 94-point effort marked the most points scored against a D1 opponent for the Panthers since scoring 97 against Saint Francis on Dec. 28, 2014.
The Panthers were powered by their bench as Jala Jordan netted a team-high 23 points and five rebounds while Bella Perkins scored a career-high 22 points, five assists and three boards in the win. Liatu King had another double-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
Sophomore point guard Marley Washenitz also posted the best game of her young career as she netted her first career double-double in the win. She finished with a career-high 13 points, career-high 10 rebounds and six assists across 36 minutes of work.
For the game, Pitt shot 48.6% from the floor and 50% from behind the arc while owning the 41-32 edge in rebounds and forcing 21 turnovers. Pitt scored a season-high 50 points in the paint, 47 points off the bench, 26 points off turnovers and 16 fast break points in the win.

SHOOTING FOR THE STARS

The Panthers offensive attack has become more consistent of late and that has translated to shooting a higher percentage from the floor.
On the season, Pitt is shooting 43.3% as a team from the floor. Since joining the ACC the highest shooting percentage for a season by Pitt is 40.4% in 2016-17.
When the Panthers shoot a higher percentage from the floor than their opponents they own a 4-1 record on the season.
Pitt has been shooting the ball great of late as across the past five games the Panthers are shooting 49.1% from the floor and 43.5% from behind the arc. The Panthers also own a 4-1 record across their last five games.
Pitt has recorded five games shooting at least 47% from the floor which marks the most games in a season for Pitt since 2018-19 (five total games). The five games in 2018-19 are also the most in a season for Pitt since joining the ACC in 2013-14.
The Panthers have shot 47% or higher in each of the past five games which marks the first time in over 20 seasons they have done so in five straight games.
Pitt is one of eight teams in the nation to shoot at least 47% from the floor in five straight games this season. They are the only team in the nation with a current streak.

47+ FG% IN CONSECUTIVE GAMES
Team Consecutive Games

Utah                                                       7
Illinois                                                    6
Gonzaga                                                 6
Pitt                                                       5*
Notre Dame                                           5
Penn State                                             5
Baylor                                                    5
Cleveland State                                      5

* Current streak

SCORING IN BUNCHES

The Pitt offense is clicking of late as they have been scoring points in bunches and its translating to wins.
The Panthers have scored 72+ points in five straight games for the first time since 2014-15 (five games total). If Pitt can score 72+ against Ball State, it will be the first time since 2009-10 (seven games total) they had at least six straight games with 72+.
So far this season, Pitt has six games with at least 72 points scored. It marks just the second time (2014-15) since joining the ACC in 2013-14 that Pitt recorded 72+ points in six of the first 10 games of the season.
Pitt has scored 80+ points three times through the first 10 games of the season for the first time since joining the ACC in 2013-14. The three games are 80+ are also tied for the most in a single season for Pitt since 2014-15 (six times).
When the Panthers score at least 70 points this season, they own a 5-1 record. They are also 3-0 when scoring 80+.

SHOOTING FOR THE STARS

The Panthers offensive attack has become more consistent of late and that has translated to shooting a higher percentage from the floor.
On the season, Pitt is shooting 42.5% as a team from the floor. Since joining the ACC the highest shooting percentage for a season by Pitt is 40.4% in 2016-17.
When the Panthers shoot a higher percentage from the floor than their opponents, they own a 3-1 record on the season.
Pitt has recorded four games shooting at least 47% from the floor which marks the most games in a season for Pitt since 2018-19 (five total games). The five games in 2018-19 are also the most in a season for Pitt since joining the ACC in 2013-14.
Pitt has been shooting the ball great of late as across the past four games the Panthers are shooting 49.1% from the floor and 41.8% from behind the arc.

DOUBLE TROUBLE OFF THE BENCH

The dynamic bench duo of Jala Jordan and Bella Perkins had a massive game last time out to lead the Panthers to the 94-82 win over Lehigh.
Jordan played 23 minutes off the bench and tied a career-high with 23 points and five rebounds while going 10-for-15 from the floor.
Perkins played 29 minutes off the bench and posted a career-high 22 points, five assists, three steals and three rebounds while going 4-for-7 from behind the arc.
The 45 points combined off the bench for the duo marked the most in a single game by teammates in the ACC since Nov. 17, 2013. The UNC duo of Allisha Gray (30 points) and Jessica Washington (16 points) combined for 46 points in a win over UCLA.
Jordan and Perkins are the first ACC teammates in over 15 seasons to each score 22+ points off the bench in the same game. They are one of just five sets of teammates to score 22+ points each in the same game in all Power 5 Conferences over the past 15 seasons.
They are also one of two sets of teammates to pull off the feat in the NCAA this season (Saint Louis).

NEXT UP

Pitt returns home after Christmas for their final non-conference game of the season as they welcome the Le Moyne Dolphins to the Petersen Events Center on Thursday, Dec. 28 for a 7:00 pm tip. The game will air on ACC Network.