Panthers Head To #14 Virginia Tech For ACC Opener Sunday Afternoon

Sunday, December 31

Blacksburg, VA

2 PM

Pitt

#14 Virginia Tech

Panthers Head To #14 Virginia Tech For ACC Opener Sunday Afternoon

12/30/2023 4:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GAME 14

Pitt at #14 Virginia Tech

Dec. 31, 2023 / 2:00 PM / Blacksburg, VA (Cassell Coliseum)

GAME NOTES

SCHEDULE

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women’s basketball team (6-7, 0-0 ACC) is set to open ACC play Sunday afternoon as they travel to defending conference champions #14 Virginia Tech for a 2:00 pm tip. Sunday’s ACC opener will air on ACC Network Extra.

HOW FOLLOW

Sunday’s game will air on ACC Network Extra or can be streamed by clicking HERE.
Live stats for Sunday’s game can be found 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 1:45 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.

THE OPENING TIP

The Panthers hit the road on New Year’s Eve for their ACC opener as they travel to Blacksburg, VA to battle #14 Virginia Tech at 2pm.
The stingy Pitt defense held Le Moyne to just 39 points and 23.1% shooting last time out. It marked the fewest points against since Nov. 9, 2018 against New Orleans (38 points). They also held the Dolphins to just 12 second half points, the fewest allowed by Pitt since Dec. 4, 2010 (Mount St. Mary’s).
Aaryn Battle had a huge game last time out against Le Moyne as she led Pitt with a career-high 17 points, six rebounds and three assists while going 6-for-9 from the floor in the win. Over her last eight games she is averaging 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Senior 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 (19.7 ppg), second in rebounds per game (9.9 rpg), fourth in steals per game (2.2 spg), fourth in blocks per game (1.7 bpg), fifth in field goal percentage (53.6%) and second in double-doubles (7).
Sophomore Marley Washenitz is doing a little bit of everything for Pitt of late. Last time out, she finished the win over Le Moyne with four points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and three steals in 36 minutes. She is the only player in the ACC over the past 15 seasons to post a game with 10 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and three steals.

WASHENITZ DOING IT ALL

After a slow start to the season, sophomore point guard Marley Washenitz has picked up her play of late for the Panthers.
So far this year, Washenitz is averaging career-highs in minutes (30.1 mpg), points (4.9 ppg), assists (4.5 apg) and rebounds (4.9 rpg) while ranking first on the team in charges taken (13) and second on the team in steals (21).
Last time out, Washenitz did a little bit of everything for Pitt as she had four points, a career-high 10 rebounds, seven assists, a career-high five blocks and three steals in 36 minutes. Her five blocks are the most by a Pitt guard in program history and the most by a player 5-7 or shorter in the NCAA this season.
Washenitz is the only ACC player and one of six players in the NCAA (Kaitlyn Slagus, Breanna Stewart, Jamila Thompson, Skyler Gill, Anna Freeman) over the last 15 seasons to record at least 10 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and three steals in a game.
In the win over Lehigh, 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.
Over her last five games, she is averaging 8.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.8 steals per game. She has also grabbed an average of 2.8 offensive rebounds per game in those five contests.
Her 4.5 assists per game so far this season ranks seventh in the ACC while her 58 assists are a career-high through only 13 games.
She has grabbed at least two offensive rebounds in five straight games and in six of her past seven contests.

Sophomore Marley Washenitz posted a stat line that hasn't been seen in over 15 years in the ACC last game against Le Moyne. She finished the win with 10 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and three steals.

More Notes

SERIES HISTORY – VIRGINIA TECH

This meeting marks the 20th of all-time between the two programs with Virginia Tech owning the 14-5 lead in the series.
The Hokies have won seven straight in the series including a 69-62 win in Pittsburgh last season.
Pitt is just 1-8 all-time in games played in Blacksburg with their lone victory coming on Feb. 14, 2016 (59-48).
Pitt last played in Cassell Coliseum on Jan. 20, 2022 as they fell 75-65 to the Hokies.

SCOUTING THE HOKIES

Virginia Tech heads into the ACC opener with a 9-2 overall record while being ranked No. 14 in the latest AP Top-25 Poll.
The Hokies have won four straight including a 76-43 home win over William & Mary on Dec. 21.
The Hokies are led by one of the best players in the country, Elizabeth Kitley. She ranks second in the ACC in scoring (20.8 ppg), first in rebounding (11.6 rpg) and second in blocks (2.2 bpg) while shooting 55.3% from the floor and 87.0% from the free throw line. She leads the ACC and ranks third in the nation in double-doubles (eight).
Point guard Georgia Amoore is a dynamic playmaker who is averaging 16.5 points, 7.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds while connecting on a team-high 28 three-pointers. Her 7.7 assists per game lead the ACC and ranks third in the nation.
As a team, the Hokies are averaging 80.8 points per game while allowing just 56.7 points per contest. They lead the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (36.7%) while also ranking third in the nation in blocks per game (7.1 bpg).

LAST TIME OUT – LE MOYNE

Pitt got back on track Thursday night as they collected a 56-39 home victory over Le Moyne to close out non-conference play.
The Pitt defense had their way with the Dolphins as they held them to a season-low 39 points and 23.1% shooting from the floor and 12.5% from behind the arc. The Panthers defense allowed just 12 second half points and 12.5% shooting in the win.
Freshman guard Aaryn Battle had the best game of her career as she netted a career-high 17 points, 10 in the third quarter, to go along with a career-best six rebounds and three assists while playing all 40 minutes.
Liatu King added 12 points and eight rebounds while point guard Marley Washenitz contributed with four points, a career-high 10 rebounds, seven assists, a career-high five blocks and three steals in the win.
As a team, Pitt shot 41.5% from the floor while owning the 47-36 edge in rebounds. The Panthers also owned the 32-22 lead in scoring in the paint and 14-6 edge in fast break points.

DEFENSE LEADING THE CHARGE IN WIN OVER LE MOYNE

The defense has been and will continue to be one of the keys to success for Pitt this year.
Last time out, the Panthers had their best showing of the season on defense as they held Le Moyne to a season-low 39 points on 23.1% shooting from the floor and 12.5% from behind the arc.
The 39 points scored against were the fewest against Pitt since Nov. 9, 2018 (New Orleans - 38).
Pitt also only allowed 12 second half points which are tied for the fewest for the Panthers (Dec. 4, 2010 vs. Mount Saint Mary’s) in over 30 seasons.
The stifling second half defense held the Dolphins to just four made field goals and 12.5% shooting from the floor.
Pitt improved to 25-0 when holding opponents under 40 points scored.
Pitt is one of four teams in the ACC this season (VT, ND, Louisville) to hold an opponent under 40 points and under 24% shooting in a game.

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 seventh in the ACC in assists per game (15.7 apg) while ranking fourth in total assists (204).
Last time out, the Panthers had 13 assists on 22 made field goals as Marley Washenitz led the way with seven assists in the win.
The Panthers are the only team in the ACC so far this season with four players who have at least 25 assists (Washenitz - 58, Malcolm - 37, Battle - 33, King - 25) and five players with at least 20 assists (Perkins - 20).
Washenitz leads the team with a career-high 58 assists while also ranking seventh in the ACC in assists per game (4.5 apg).
Last season, Emy Hayford led the Panthers with 53 assists in 29 games. Washenitz has surpassed this total in just 13 games this season.
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).

BATTLE TESTED

Freshman guard Aaryn Battle has seen an increase in playing time due to her tenacious work ethic and strong play.
So far this season, she has started nine of 13 games while averaging 26.4 minutes, 6.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 44.3% from the floor and 35% from deep.
Last time out, Battle had a career game for Pitt as she netted a career-high 17 points, career-high six rebounds, three assists and a steal in 40 minutes of action. She also went an efficient 6-for-9 from the floor while scoring 10 points in the third quarter.
She is the first Pitt freshman since Yacine Diop in 2014 to post a game with at least 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal while shooting at least 66% from the floor.
She has been great in her past eight games as she is averaging 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 46% from the floor and 37.5% from behind the arc.
She has posted three double figure scoring games so far this season.
Battle has recorded nine straight games with multiple assists and eight straight with multiple rebounds.

NEXT UP

The Panthers return home for their first of three straight home conference games as they welcome #13 Notre Dame to the Petersen Events Center Thursday night at 6:00 pm. Thursday’s game will tip at 6:00 pm and air live on ACC Network.