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Craig Houtz

Penn State Hosts Pittsburgh In Big Ten/ACC Challenge Thursday



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team returns home to face in-state foe Pittsburgh in the 2019 edition of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Thursday night. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. from the Bryce Jordan Center.
 
PROMOTIONS

  • Toys For Tots Game: fans that bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys For Tots will be eligible to receive an additional ticket for just five dollars. Collection boxes will be available at each gate entrance.To take advantage of the ticket special, please visit the Bryce Jordan Center Ticket Office prior to entering the arena. 
  • TV giveaway for one student

 
FOLLOW ALONG

 
OPENING TIPS

  • Penn State returns home to square off against in-state foe Pittsburgh in the 2019 edition of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Thursday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.
  • Penn State is 4-4 on the young season and coming off a big 92-68 win in its most recent game against N.C. Central Saturday at the Cal Classic. Three of Penn State's four wins this season have come over 2019 NCAA Tournament teams.
  • Three Lady Lions are averaging double-digit points, with Kamaria McDaniel leading the way with 17.4 points per game. Siyeh Frazier (11.1 ppg) and Makenna Marisa (10.1 ppg) round out the double-digit scorers.

 
IF PENN STATE BEATS PITTSBURGH

  • The Lady Lions would grab their fourth-straight win over the Panthers and move to 19-1 all-time when playing Pittsburgh at home.
  • Penn State would win its Big Ten/ACC Challenge game for the third time in the last four years.

 
LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State's offense came to life as the Lady Lions picked up a dominant 92-68 victory over North Carolina Central Saturday afternoon to wrap up the Cal Classic.
  • Juniors Alisia Smith and Kamaria McDaniel both put together career nights to lead the PSU offense to a season-high 92 points. McDaniel finished with a career-best 27 points, while Smith went for a career-high 22 points. They marked the first pair of Penn State players to score 20 points in one game since Jan. 14, 2018 at Wisconsin when Amari Carter (21) and Jaida Travascio-Green (20) both went for 20-plus.
  • Penn State scored 90-plus points for the first time since Dec. 10, 2016 in a 91-62 win over Pittsburgh.


SCOUTING PITT

  • Pittsburgh carries a 3-4 overall record into Thursday's Big Ten/ACC Challenge game in Happy Valley.
  • The Panthers have collected wins over Ole Miss (58-50, Nov. 30), Fairleigh Dickinson (69-60, Nov. 19) and Central Connecticut State (81-73, Nov. 11).
  • Aysia Bugg leads the team with 16.3 points per game and 19 made three-pointers. Amber Brown follows with 11.1 points per game and a team-best 8.0 rebounds per contest. Dayshanette Harris (9.4 ppg) and Gabbie Green (7.9 ppg) have also been key offensive contributors.
  • Pittsburgh is shooting 38.6 percent from the field, 30.5 percent from three-point ranges and 63.9 percent from the free throw line.

 
AGAINST THE PANTHERS

  • Penn State and Pitt will be meeting for the first time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, but Thursday's game will mark the 42nd all-time meeting between the two in-state rivals.
  • Penn State has won each of the last three meetings and owns a 29-13 lead in the all-time series, including an 18-1 edge in games played in Happy Valley.
  • The teams last met on Dec. 17, 2017 when Penn State grabbed a 59-48 road victory.


COACHING CONNECTION

  • Head Coach Carolyn Kieger played her college ball at Marquette for current Pittsburgh Associate Head Coach Terri Mitchell.
  • The all-time winningest women's basketball coach at Marquette, Mitchell spent 18 years at the helm of the Golden Eagles' program (1996-2014) and acquired 348 wins while leading the team to the postseason 15 times.
  • Kieger was a four-year starter at Marquette, a three-year captain and is MU's all-time assists leader. She is the only player in program history with at least 1,200 career points, 400 career rebounds and 600 assists. Kieger averaged 10.3 points per game during her career and was a second-team All-Big East selection in 2005-06, as well as, a second-team All-Conference USA selection for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.

 
B1G/ACC CHALLENGE HISTORY

  • Penn State is 4-8 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge as the series enters its 13th year.
  • The Lady Lions are 3-3 in Big Ten/ACC Challenge home games and 1-5 in away games.
  • Penn State will be looking to win its Big Ten/ACC Challenge game for the third time in the past four years.
  • Penn State and Pittsburgh will be meeting for the first time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

 
UP NEXT

  • Penn State takes a brief break from game action and will return on Dec. 14 when the Lady Lions head to Princeton to face the Tigers at 3 p.m.