Panthers Host Delaware State Wednesday for School Day

PITTSBURGH – Following a two-game road swing, the Pitt women's basketball team will return home to face Delaware State on Wednesday at the Petersen Events Center for the Panthers' annual school day game.

Tipoff is slated for 11:00 a.m., and the game can be streamed via ACCNX.

Need to Know - Game 5
Pitt (3-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. Delaware State (2-3, 0-0 MEAC)
Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 - 11 AM
Pittsburgh, Pa. – Petersen Events Center

The Opening Tip
Bench Production
Pitt is ranked third among ACC teams in bench points per game (29.0). Sophomore guard Aaryn Battle is leading the second unit, averaging 8.8 points per contest, while shooting 83.3 percent from three-point range.

Faye on the Boards
Graduate center Khadija Faye is fourth in the nation and first among ACC players in offensive rebounds per game (6.5). Of note, Faye is averaging a career-high 9.8 rebounds per contest.

Johnson's First Double-Double
Redshirt sophomore Mikayla Johnson notched her first-ever double-double (10 points and 12 rebounds) in her first career start against Binghamton.

Malcolm From Three
Junior guard Aislin Malcolm has started the season hot from behind the arc, shooting at a 60 percent clip (6-for-10). Malcolm is a career 35.6 percent (69-for-194) three-point shooter.

Key Starters Expected to Miss Time
Junior guard Amiya Jenkins will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign after suffering a season-ending knee injury, while sophomore forward Lauren Rust is expected to miss a significant period of time due to a leg injury, as announced by head coach Tory Verdi Monday morning.

Series History - Delaware State

Pitt is 3-0 all-time against Delaware State. All three meetings have come since 2000 and have been home games for Pitt.
Most recently, the Panthers defeated the Hornets, 77-43, at home on Nov. 20, 2015. Pitt has won by at least 29 points in all three meetings.

Scouting the Hornets

Delaware State enters the contest with a 2-3 record.
- The Hornets most recently defeated Cheyney University 80-44, where they shot 51.9 percent (14-of-27) from behind the arc.
Delaware State is led by sophomore guard Mahogany Cottingham, who is averaging 16.0 points per game.
- Cottingham scored a career-high 32 against Cheyney on 12-of-15 shooting, including 8-of-10 on 3-pointers.
Freshman forward Ericka Huggins is averaging 6.0 points and 7.0 rebounds through the first five games of her career and snagged a career-high 15 rebounds against Cheyney.

Last Time Out - at Binghamton
Pitt defeated Binghamton, 61-56, on Sunday for its first road win of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Panthers immediately took a 2-0 lead behind a pair of free throws from Faye, but Leah Middleton of Binghamton responded with a layup six seconds later to even the ledger. Despite forcing seven turnovers in the first quarter, the Panthers trailed, 12-8, through 10 minutes of play.

Binghamton opened the second period with a 4-0 spurt to take a 16-8 lead at the 8:41 mark. Malcolm then drained a triple, sparking an 11-0 run from Pitt. The two sides traded baskets for the remainder of the frame as the Panthers held a 25-24 lead at the halftime break.

Pitt was paced by Malcolm in the first half as she tallied a team-high nine points, while going perfect (3-of-3) from beyond the arc.

Pitt came out aggressively in the second half, outscoring the Bearcats 12-6 over the first 5:15 of action. Johnson, Battle and Faye led the Panthers in the third quarter as they combined to score all of Pitt's 21 points in the frame. Individually, Battle tallied 13 of her 15 points in the third period.

Binghamton climbed back to even the ledger, 49-49, with just under seven minutes remaining in the contest. With four minutes left, Pitt took a five point lead (56-51) as senior guard Bella Perkins drained a triple and Faye finished a layup. The Panthers then converted on key free throws down the stretch to earn the 61-56 victory.

Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2024-25 Pitt women's basketball season are on sale now through the Panthers Ticket Office. Season tickets can be purchased for $75 each. The Panthers' schedule promises another exciting campaign in the ACC, which boasts multiple nationally ranked foes.

Secure your new 2024-25 season tickets HERE. Season ticket holders from last season who want to renew their season tickets can log onto their account online and renew HERE. All seating in the Petersen Events Center will be General Admission, excluding VIP Courtside.

Up Next
Pitt will remain home to face Robert Morris on Saturday, Nov. 23. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m., and the game can be streamed via ACCNX.