Panthers Open ACC Play Sunday Against Miami

PITTSBURGH – Following a one-week hiatus, the Pitt women's basketball team will return to action Sunday when the Panthers open ACC play, hosting Miami at the Petersen Events Center.

Tipoff is slated for 12:00 p.m., and the game can be viewed on ACC Network.

Need to Know - Game 12
Pitt (6-5, 0-0 ACC) vs. Miami (8-1, 0-0 ACC)
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 - 12 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa. – Petersen Events Center

The Opening Tip
Looking to Snap the Streak
The Panthers are looking to snap their current 11-game losing streak in ACC openers when they host Miami on Sunday.

Faye's Dominance
Graduate center Khadija Faye is averaging 17.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native leads the ACC in double-doubles, while ranking second nationally in offensive rebounds per game at 5.8 per contest. Faye has also gotten to the charity stripe at a high clip, ranking 15th nationally with 52 attempts through 11 games.

Elmore Stepping Up
Over the last three games, senior forward MaKayla Elmore has settled into her starting role, averaging 11.7 points and 9.0 rebounds, while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from three-point range.

Forcing Turnovers
Junior guard Marley Washenitz has recorded 21 steals – which marks the 11th-most of any player in the ACC. As a team, the Panthers average 8.6 steals per game and 17.7 forced turnovers per game.

Series History

Pitt trails Miami, 9-27, all-time. The Hurricanes have won the last 10 meetings.
Pitt and Miami played twice per year as opponents in the Big East from 1992-2004 before the Hurricanes joined the ACC.
The two schools did not meet for 10 years until Pitt joined the ACC in 2013.
- Since 2014, the schools have met 12 times as members of the ACC.

Scouting the Hurricanes

Miami enters the contest 8-1, with its sole loss coming against Vanderbilt in the SEC/ACC Challenge.
The Hurricanes are led by guard Haley Cavinder, who averages 16.9 points per game, the ninth-most among ACC players. Cavinder also ranks eighth in the ACC with 43 assists.
Miami shoots 47.2 percent from the field (fourth-best in the ACC) and 80.6 percent from the chalk (second-best in the ACC).
The Hurricanes' 6-foot-3 transfer forward from Michigan, Cameron Williams, averages 12.3 points per game and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game.

Last Time Out - vs. Saint Peter's
Behind a combined 33 points and 21 rebounds from its front court duo, Khadija Faye and MaKayla Elmore, Pitt defeated non-conference opponent Saint Peter's, 57-51, last Sunday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center.

Faye set the tone early for the Panthers, sinking a bucket in the paint and taking a charge on the defensive end. Despite that, Pitt trailed at the media timeout, 7-5, after opening the contest shooting 16.7 percent (1-for-6) from the field. Pitt's offense worked through a 5:07 scoring drought, broken up by two Elmore free throws, and an 11:29 stretch without a field goal. The Panthers defense held Saint Peter's to 18.8 percent shooting (3-for-16) in the frame but trailed 8-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Pitt's field-goal-made drought was broken up by an Elmore 3-pointer from a Brooklynn Miles dish at the 6:58 mark of the second quarter. Saint Peter's responded by using a 5-0 run to extend its lead to 21-12 and force a Pitt timeout. Pitt held Saint Peter's scoreless for the final 2:50 of the first half but trailed 26-20 at the midway point. The Panthers were led by Elmore through the first 20 minutes, who had seven points on 2-for-3 shooting and seven rebounds.

The Panthers outscored Saint Peter's 20-2 in the third quarter to retake the lead, ignited by two Marley Washenitzbaseline jump shots early in the frame. Pitt held Saint Peter's to a 6:17 scoring drought in which the Peacocks shot 0-for-5 with five forced turnovers. The run included a 15-0 Panther tilt to close out the frame. Heading into the final 10 minutes, Pitt led 40-28. The Panthers shot 57.1 percent (8-for-14) from the field and 80 percent (4-for-5) from the charity stripe in the quarter.

Saint Peter's buried back-to-back 3-pointers to open the fourth quarter to cut the Pitt lead down to eight at 42-34. The Panthers responded with an 8-2 run to extend their lead, including hitting 4-of-5 shots. Faye notched 13 in the quarter on 4-for-5 shooting. Pitt rallied behind two Miles free throws to close out the contest.

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
The Panthers remain home to host New Hampshire on Thursday, Dec. 19. Tipoff is slated for 2:30 p.m., and the game can be streamed via ACCNX.