Pitt Closes Non-Conference Play At Home Thursday Night Against Le Moyne

Thursday, December 28

Pittsburgh, PA

7 PM

Pitt

Le Moyne

Tickets

Pitt Closes Non-Conference Play At Home Thursday Night Against Le Moyne

12/27/2023 2:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GAME 13

Pitt vs. Le Moyne

Dec. 28, 2023 / 7:00 PM / Pittsburgh, PA (Petersen Events Center)

GAME NOTES

SCHEDULE

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women’s basketball team (5-7, 0-0 ACC) closes out the non-conference portion of their schedule Thursday night as they welcome the Le Moyne Dolphins to the Petersen Events Center for the first meeting between the two squads. Tip is set for 7:00 pm and the game will air on ACC network Extra with Jeff Hathhorn and Brianne O’Rourke-Kelly on the call.

HOW FOLLOW

Thursday’s game will air on ACC Network Extra or can be streamed 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 6:45 pm. 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.

STORYLINES

Senior forward Liatu King has been the best player on the floor all year long as she currently ranks inside the top-5 in the ACC in multiple categories including third in points per game (20.3 ppg), second in rebounds per game (10.2 rpg), third in steals per game (2.3 spg), third in blocks per game (1.8 bpg), fifth in field goal percentage (54.4%) and second in double-doubles (7).
Sophomore point guard Marley Washenitz has been strong for Pitt of late as across her past four games she is averaging 8.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.8 steals per game. She has also grabbed an average of 3.0 offensive rebounds per game in those four contests.

THE OPENING TIP

The Panthers return home Thursday night as they close out their non-conference schedule with a contest against Le Moyne at 7pm inside the Petersen Events Center.
One of the keys to success for the Panthers this season has been scoring at least 70 points. When Pitt scores at least 70 points they own a 5-1 record. Earlier this year, Pitt scored 72+ points in five straight games for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign.
Aislin Malcolm has made huge strides this season for the Panthers as she ranks second on the team in scoring (10.8 ppg) while also leading the squad connecting on 44.2% from behind the arc so far this season.

Sophomore Aislin Malcolm currently leads the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (44.2%)

More Notes

SERIES HISTORY – LE MOYNE

This meeting marks the first between the two programs all-time.
Pitt currently owns a 4-0 record against NEC teams including a 73-62 home win over Binghamton earlier this year.

SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS

Le Moyne comes to town with a 2-9 overall record as they fell 97-53 last time out against Rhode Island. The Dolphins’ two wins this season have come against UMass Lowell and Buffalo.
They are being led offensively by Lytoya Baker who is averaging 11.8 points and 8.0 rebounds while also leading the team in steals (21) and blocks (10). She has produced four double-doubles on the year while only shooting 33.6% from the floor.
Sydney Lusher is enjoying a nice start to her season as she is averaging 9.2 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 43.3% from the floor and connecting on 10 triples. Kaia Goode is averaging 7.3 points and a team-high 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals so far this season.
As a team, the Dolphins are averaging 50.4 points while allowing an average of 73.9 points per contest. They are grabbing an average of 32.6 rebounds per game while shooting 31.7% from the floor and 23% from behind the arc as a team.

LAST TIME OUT – SUN COAST CHALLENGE

The Panthers opened up the Sun Coast Challenge in Tampa, FL on Dec. 19 as they fell to the Ball State Cardinals, 73-62.
Liatu King led the Panthers with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks and two steals while going 10-for-12 from the floor in the loss. Bella Perkins and Jala Jordan each netted 10 points off the bench in the loss for the Panthers.
As a team, Pitt shot 44.6% from the floor while the Cardinals were held to 39% shooting. The Cardinals won the rebounding battle 41-30 and had 19 second chance points in the win.
Pitt wrapped up the Sun Coast Challenge with a tough 65-59 loss to Georgia.
King led the way in scoring with 14 points, three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals while Marley Washenitz netted 10 points, nine rebounds and a career-high five steals. Aislin Malcolm also contributed 12 points in the loss.
As a team, Pitt shot just 29.9% from the floor while Georgia shot 44.6% in the win. The Bulldogs also won the rebounding battle 48-37, outscoring Pitt 14-6 in second chance points.

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 42.2% 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 4-2 record on the season.
In the five games prior to the trip to Tampa, the Panthers shoot 49.1% from the floor and 43.5% from behind the arc and went 4-1. Shooting 49.1% across the five game stretch marked the best shooting across five games for Pitt since joining the ACC in 2013-14.
Across that five-game stretch, Pitt shot 47% or higher from the floor in each game which marked the first time in over 20 seasons they have done so in five straight games.
Pitt has recorded five games shooting at least 47% from the floor so far this season 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 is one of eight teams in the nation to shoot at least 47% from the floor in five straight games this season.

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

LIMITING TURNOVERS KEY TO SUCCESS

One of the keys to success for the Panthers this season has been limiting their turnovers.
The discrepancy in turnovers in wins versus losses for the Panthers is a major one this season. They average just 10.8 turnovers in their five wins while averaging 18.4 turnovers in their seven losses on the year.
When Pitt is able to win the turnover battle they own a 4-3 record this season.
Pitt’s eight turnovers in the win over Northern Kentucky marked their fewest in a game since Dec. 31, 2017 against Chicago State (eight).

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 sixth in the ACC in assists per game (15.9 apg) while ranking fifth in total assists (191).
Last time out, the Panthers had 12 assists on 20 made baskets in the loss to Georgia. Marley Washenitz and Liatu King led the team with three assists each in the loss.
In the win over Saint Francis earlier this year, 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 four players with at least 25 assists (Washenitz - 51, Malcolm - 34, Battle - 30, King - 25) and five players with at least 20 assists (Perkins - 20).

NEXT UP

Pitt opens up conference play on the road Sunday afternoon as they travel to the reigning ACC champions Virginia Tech. Sunday’s game will tip at 2:00 pm and air live on ACC Network Extra.