Pitt to Close Home Slate versus No. 21/22 NC State

GAME 28: NO. 21/22 NC STATE (21-6, 10-4 ACC) AT PITT (10-17, 2-12 ACC)
Thursday, Feb. 22 | 7 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh, Pa. | Petersen Events Center (12,508)
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets | Radio: 1320AM WJAS
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PITTSBURGH – Pitt women's basketball (10-17, 2-12 ACC) will host its final home game of the regular season against No. 21/22 NC State (21-6, 10-4 ACC) Thursday at 7 p.m. at Petersen Events Center.

HOW TO FOLLOW

The game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available on the WatchESPN app, with Jeff Hatthorn on the call and Kevin Wheeler as analyst.
Live stats will be available at PittsburghPanthers.com.
On the radio, fans can find the game on 1320AM WJAS in the Pittsburgh area with George Von Benko on the call and Jesse Irwin as analyst.
Fans may follow live updates on Twitter and Instagram at @Pitt_WBB.

PAW PRINTS

Redshirt junior Yacine Diop is one of just three players in the ACC averaging at least 15.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, along with Florida State's Shakayla Thomas and Notre Dame's Jessica Shepard.
The Panthers are fourth in the ACC in field goal percentage defense (.370) and steals per game (8.9).
Junior center Kalista Walters continues to lead the ACC field goal percentage rankings (.665). The NCAA ranks only student-athletes who average five made field goals per game, and Walters averages 4.6. Walters is tied for third in the ACC with 2.0 blocks per game.
Sophomore point guard Jasmine Whitney is fifth in the league with 4.6 assists per game and sixth with a 1.8 assist/turnover ratio.
Pitt leads the ACC in blocked shots per game (6.2), ranking eighth in the nation. The Panthers are also eighth in the country in total blocked shots (167).

A SPECIAL VISIT

Pitt women's basketball visited the breast cancer treatment wing of Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC in Oakland Tuesday, Feb. 13.
The student-athletes, coaches and staff spent time with patients receiving treatment and brought along Valentine's Day treats and T-shirts from the Pink The Petersen game.
The Panthers invited the patients and hospital staff to attend their final home game of the season against NC State, where they will be honoring the Wolfpack's late coach Kay Yow, who passed away from breast cancer in 2009.
Pitt coach Suzie McConnell-Serio played for Coach Yow in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, where Team USA won a gold medal.
Pitt will wear its pink jerseys for the third time this season against NC State in the #Play4Kay game.

A WIN WOULD…

End a two-game losing streak in the all-time series against NC State. Pitt's last win against the Wolfpack came Feb. 15, 2015, at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C. (60-50).
Be the Panthers' first against NC State when playing in Pittsburgh (0-2).
End a 22-game losing streak for the Panthers against ranked opponents. Pitt's last win against a ranked opponent was against No. 17/18 Chattanooga in the 2015 NCAA Tournament First Round.
End a four-game overall losing streak and a five-game losing streak at Petersen Events Center for the Panthers.

LAST TIME OUT

Redshirt junior Yacine Diop posted her seventh double-double of the season with game highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds for Pitt in a 62-53 loss to Syracuse Monday night at Petersen Events Center.
Diop made 8-of-16 from the floor and 11 of her 12 rebounds were on the defensive end. She added four steals and a block. The Dakar, Senegal, native led a trio of double-figure scorers for the Panthers, including sophomore guards Alayna Gribble and Jasmine Whitney with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Junior center Kalista Walters contributed eight points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
The Orange won the rebounding battle, 40-34, and made 17-of-19 from the free throw line to Pitt's 6-of-9. The Panthers had a better day from the field, shooting 38.9 percent (21-of-54) to Syracuse's 33.9 percent (19-of-56). Pitt had 18 assists on 21 made field goals.

MILESTONE WATCH

Junior center Kalista Walters is three blocks away from cracking the program's top 10 of blocks made in a season with 53.
With 83 career triples, sophomore guard Alayna Gribble is five made threes away from tying Shavonte Zellous (2005-09) for 10th place on the career 3-point field goal list.
With 125 assists on the season, point guard Jasmine Whitney is tied with Laine Selwyn for the third most made by a sophomore in program history. She needs 36 more assists to tie LaTonya Blanton (1998-99) for second place all-time.
Redshirt junior Yacine Diop owns 1,037 career points, good for 19th place on Pitt's all-time scoring list. She needs 44 more points to tie Jennifer Shingler (1986-90) for 18th place.

SCOUTING THE WOLFPACK

Entering Thursday's game, No. 21/22 NC State (21-6, 10-4 ACC) moved up in the rankings after defeating North Carolina and Wake Forest last week.
The Wolfpack is led by four double-figure scorers: Chelsea Nelson (12.4 ppg), Kiara Leslie (12.2 ppg), Aislinn Konig (10.5 ppg) and Akela Maize (10.3 ppg)
NC State boasts the best scoring defense in the league, limiting opponents to 56.0 points per game. It also leads the ACC in defensive rebounding with 28.9 per game.
The Wolfpack leads the all-time series, 4-2, against the Panthers. Pitt is looking for its first win against NC State when playing at Petersen Events Center (0-2).

UP NEXT

Pitt will complete the regular season with a trip to No. 4/5 Louisville Sunday at 2 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. The game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available on the WatchESPN app.

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