Panthers Play Host to No. 14 North Carolina Sunday

PITTSBURGH – For the first time since mounting the largest regulation comeback in NCAA women's basketball history, the Pitt women's basketball team returns to the Petersen Events Center on Sunday when the Panthers host No. 14 North Carolina.

Tipoff is slated for 2:00 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network.

Need to Know - Game 20
Pitt (9-10, 1-5 ACC) vs. No. 14 North Carolina (16-3, 4-2 ACC)
Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025 – 2:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa. – Petersen Events Center

The Opening Tip
Hitting Their Stride
In a hostile road environment, Pitt pushed No. 21 NC State on Thursday but ultimately came up short. The Panthers were paced by Faye and junior guard Marley Washenitz, as the duo combined for 44 of the Panthers' 67 points. Redshirt sophomore guard Mikayla Johnson also had a solid performance, joining Washenitz and graduate center Khadija Faye in double figures with 11.

Faye's Career Night
Faye has been one of the best bigs in the ACC this season and is coming off a career-high 28 points against No. 21 NC State. She has recorded seven double doubles this season, while averaging 18.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Supporting Cast Stepping Up
Labeled a co-captain midseason, Washenitz has played well as of late, averaging 14.0 points and 4.3 rebounds over the last three games. Additionally, Johnson has grown into her role as the second scoring option behind Faye, averaging 16.5 points and 6.0 boards over the last two games.

Standout Stats Against the Wolfpack

The Panthers outscored the Wolfpack, 36-22, in the paint.
All five Pitt starters logged 5+ rebounds.
Pitt recorded 15 assists on 25 made baskets, as six Panthers registered two or more assists.

Rust Utilizing Medical Redshirt
Head coach Tory Verdi recently announced that sophomore forward and previous starter Lauren Rust will miss the remainder of the year and utilize a medical redshirt, joining Amiya Jenkins and Kiara Williams.

Series History

Sunday will mark the 15th all-time meeting between Pitt and North Carolina, as the Tar Heels lead the series (8-6).
The Panthers have dropped five-straight, dating back to 2019.
Pitt owns a 4-2 ledger in home games.

Scouting the Tar Heels

No. 14 North Carolina is 16-3 overall, including a 4-2 record in the ACC.
- The Tar Heels are on a three game winning streak with wins over then-No. 14 Duke, Boston College and SMU.
North Carolina is undefeated in true road games this season, boasting a 3-0 ledger.
The Tar Heels average 73.0 points per game, while only allowing 53.3 for a +19.7 scoring margin.
Alyssa Ustby leads the charge offensively, averaging 11.6 points and 9.6 boards. Maria Gakdeng is the Tar Heels' second leading scorer, averaging 10.9 points on 66.3 percent shooting from the field.

Last Time Out - at No. 21 NC State
Pitt fell to No. 21-ranked NC State, 83-67, Thursday evening at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

Pitt and NC State exchanged baskets to open the contest, as the Panthers faced an 11-9 deficit at the under-five media timeout. After a Faye mid-range jumper tied the contest at 11, the Wolfpack went on a 10-0 spurt to take a 21-11 lead. Pitt outscored NC State, 5-2, to close the period and trailed 23-16 after 10 minutes of action.

After beating the first quarter buzzer with a triple from the left wing, Washenitz knocked down another three to open the second period. Miles then finished a contested layup to bring the Panthers within two (23-21) at the 9:06 mark. NC State responded, outscoring the Panthers 10-5 over the ensuing two minutes of play. Pitt then went on a 6-0 burst to even the ledger at 32. The two sides traded baskets to close the second frame, but NC State led, 39-35, at the halftime break.

NC State extended its lead to eight at the 5:46 mark of the third quarter. After a 30 second timeout by Pitt, Elmore buried a triple, making it a five-point game. The Wolfpack responded with an 8-2 run to go up 11 with under three minutes remaining in the frame. The two teams traded field goals for the remainder of the quarter as Pitt trailed, 63-54, entering the final period.

The Panthers and Wolfpack went back-and-forth for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter as NC State's nine-point lead remained intact. The Wolfpack then went on a blistering 11-0 run to go up by 20 at the 3:45 mark. Pitt continued to battle but ultimately fell, 83-67.

Up Next
Pitt remains home, hosting Virginia Tech on Thursday, Jan. 23. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m., and the game can be streamed via ACCNX.