Pitt Welcomes Binghamton For Third Annual ASL Deaf Awareness Game Sunday

Sunday, December 3

Pittsburgh, PA

6 PM

Pitt

Binghamton

Tickets

Pitt Welcomes Binghamton For Third Annual ASL Deaf Awareness Game Sunday

12/2/2023 3:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GAME 9

Pitt vs. Binghamton

Dec. 3, 2023 / 6:00 PM / Pittsburgh, PA (Petersen Events Center)

GAME NOTES

SCHEDULE

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women’s basketball team (3-5, 0-0 ACC) returns home Sunday evening as they welcome the Binghamton Bearcats to the Petersen Events Center for a non-conference battle. Sunday’s game tips at 6:00 pm, following the Pitt men’s basketball game against Clemson, and it will air on ACC Network Extra.

Sunday’s game will be the third annual American Sign Language Deaf Awareness game at the Petersen Events Center as the Panthers look to shed some light on the deaf community through various in-game initiatives. The first 500 fans will receive a H2P ASL T-Shirt while there will also be a section of the stands designated for deaf fans where a translator will help interpret what is happening in venue. There will also be various "Did You Know" facts as well as some other ASL activities throughout the evening.

Pitt started the ASL Deaf Awareness Game initiatives to raise awareness for the deaf community including senior forward Liatu King who grew up with deaf parents.

HOW FOLLOW

Sunday's game will air live on ACC Network Extra 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 5:45 pm. To listen, click HERE.
Live stats for 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.

MALCOLM COMING ON STRONG

Sophomore Aislin Malcolm is turning into a consistent scoring threat this season for the Panthers.
Last time out, Malcolm netted 14 points, two rebounds and two assists while hitting a pair of triples in the win over Saint Francis.
She has now scored in double figures in four straight games (first time in her career) and in five of her last six for the Panthers.
Over her last four games, Malcolm is averaging 15.8 points, 3.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds while connecting on 11-of-18 (61.1%) shots from behind the arc.
So far this season, Malcolm is averaging a career-high 11.6 points and 2.8 assists while shooting 49.3% from the floor and 48.1% from behind the arc. She has played 30+ minutes in seven of eight games this season.
Malcolm currently ranks second in the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (48.1%) among players with at least 21 three-point attempts. She has connected on 11 of her last 18 triples for Pitt.
Malcolm had a big weekend at the Daytona Beach Classic last week as she averaged 18.0 points and 4.5 assists while shooting 72.2% from the floor and 88.9% from behind the arc across the two games.
In the win over NKU Friday, she netted a career-high 21 points and a career-high seven assists while going 8-for-11 from the floor and 5-for-6 from behind the arc in 34 minutes of work. It marked her first career 20+ point game of her career.
She is one of two players in the nation this season to post a game with at least 21 points, seven rebounds and five made three-pointers while shooting at least 72.7% from the floor. She is also just the third ACC player (Lexie Brown, Shenise Johnson) since 2009 to post that stat line.
Across her career, she has connected on at least one triple in 18 games while making multiple three-pointers in nine games. She has connected on multiple threes in three straight games.

LET ME ASSIST YOU

The Panthers have shown that their best offense is one that shares the basketball and they’ve had some early success passing the basketball.
So far this season, Pitt ranks fourth in the ACC in assists per game (15.9 apg) while ranking third in total assists (127).
Last time out, Pitt dished out a season-high 26 assists on 31 made field goals. Marley Washenitz (eight) and Aaryn Battle (seven) led the way as Pitt saw six players record at least two assists in the win over Saint Francis.
Washenitz (eight) and Battle (seven) are the first set of ACC teammates since Kayla Jones and Raina Perez (NC State) in 2021 to each have at least seven assists and one or fewer turnovers in the same game. They are one of four sets of teammates in the ACC over the past 15 years to have a game like that.
The 26 assists on 31 made field goals marked the highest percentage (.839) of assisted baskets in a game for Pitt since Nov. 25, 2017 against Arkansas State (.852).
The Panthers are the only team in the ACC so far this season with three players with at least 20 assists (Washenitz - 34, Malcolm - 22, Battle - 20).

Sophomore Marley Washenitz leads the team with 34 assists on the season

More Notes

STORYLINES

Senior forward Liatu King is having a career year for the Panthers as she is averaging 20.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 54.5% from the floor. King ranks second in the NCAA in double-doubles (5) while being the only player in the nation this year averaging at least 20.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.9 steals.
Forward Rapuluchi Ayodele has been great for the Panthers early on this season as she is averaging 9.3 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 45.3% from the floor. She has collected two double-doubles while ranking fourth in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (5.2) and eighth in the nation in total rebounds (84).

THE OPENING TIP

Pitt stays at home for the middle game of three straight at home Sunday as they welcome Binghamton. Tip is set for 6:00 pm and the game will air on ACC Network Extra.
Aislin Malcolm has been on another level of late for Pitt as she is averaging 15.8 points and 3.3 assists while connecting on 11-of-18 (61.1%) from deep across her last four games. On the season she is averaging career-highs in points (11.6) and assists (2.8).

SERIES HISTORY – BINGHAMTON

This meeting marks the first between the two programs of all-time.
The Panthers currently own a 3-0 record against members of the America East Conference.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS

Binghamton enters Sunday’s game with a 2-6 overall record as they’ve dropped four straight including last time out against Cornell at home, 58-57.
The Bearcats are being led offensively by Ella Wanzer who is averaging 11.9 points while connecting on a team-high 23 triples. Jadyn Weltz is averaging 10.9 points, a team-high 5.6 rebounds and a team-high 4.3 assists while shooting 49.3% from the floor and draining 10 three-pointers.
Genevieve Coleman is averaging 10.1 points while shooting a team-high 50.9% from the floor across an average of 19.6 minutes per contest.
As a team, the Bearcats are averaging 65.9 points per game while allowing 67.5 points per contest. They are shooting 43.1% from the floor while holding opponents to 46% shooting. They are being outrebounded 30.0 to 35.9 rebounds per game so far this season.

LAST TIME OUT – SAINT FRANCIS

The Panthers returned home Wednesday night and delivered a dominant 87-62 victory over the Saint Francis Red Flash inside the Petersen Events Center.
Pitt used a balanced scoring attack as they had six players score in double figures for the first time since Nov. 25, 2017 against Arkansas State.
The Panthers also collected a season-high 26 assists on 31 made field goals (83.9%) which marked the highest percentage of assisted on field goals since Nov. 25, 2017 against Arkansas State (85.2%).
Liatu King led the way in scoring once again for Pitt as she netted 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in the win. Rapuluchi Ayodele notched her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds while Aislin Malcolm continued her strong play with 14 points and Aaryn Battle netted a career-high 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
Off the bench, Bella Perkins netted 13 points on three made triples while Gabby Hutcherson finished with a season-high 10 points in the win.
As a team, Pitt shot 47% from the floor while also winning the rebounding battle 42-32 and outscoring the Red Flash 20-8 in points off turnovers.
The Panthers are the only team in the ACC so far this season with three players with at least 20 assists (Washenitz - 34, Malcolm - 22, Battle - 20).

HISTORIC STRETCH FOR KING

Senior Liatu King is doing things on the court that Pitt fans haven’t seen in a very long time, especially of late.
King has secured four straight games with at least 21 points scored. Over her last four games, she is averaging 25.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting an efficient 62.0% from the floor.
She is the first Panther since Shavonte Zellous in 2009 to record four straight games with at least 21 points. Zellous did it in five straight.
No Pitt player in program history has secured four straight games with at least 21 points while shooting at least 50% from the floor in all four games.

NEXT UP

Pitt closes out a three-game homestand next Sunday, Dec. 10 as they welcome Lehigh to the Petersen Events Center for a 2:00 pm tip on ACC Network Extra.