Dec. 6, 2011
WASHINGTON - The No. 19/20 Georgetown University women's basketball squad (7-2) will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa., for a game against the University of Pittsburgh Panthers (4-4) at 7 p.m., at the Petersen Events Center. The game marks the first BIG EAST Conference contest of the season for both squads.
The Blue & Gray enters Wednesday's matchup on a six-game win streak. The Hoyas defeated Coppin State University (70-54) and Rider University (58-51) last week to improve to 7-2 overall. Already this season, Georgetown has won the Lady Rebel Round-Up in Las Vegas, Nev., with victories over the No. 10/10 University of Georgia in the semi-finals and host UNLV in the championship game.
Junior guard Sugar Rodgers (Suffolk, Va./King's Fork) earned her second-consecutive spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll this week after leading the Hoyas in both contests this past week. In the victory over Coppin State, she started the game with seven three's and added one more in the contest to lead the squad with 26 points in the 70-54 victory. The eight three's broke her personal record and she also posted a career-best six steals as well as six rebounds. Against Rider, Rodgers led the way with 21 points and ranked second with eight rebounds.
Rodgers has led the Hoyas in points in five of nine games so far this season. She is averaging 23.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 3.5 steals per game. She also shoots a team-high 86 percent from the free throw line.
Senior forward Tia Magee (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks) is second on the squad with a team-high 12.1 ppg and a team-best 6.4 rpg. Senior point guard Rubylee Wright (Latta, S.C./Latta) is averaging 7.1 ppg and freshman Taylor Brown (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara) is averaging 6.9 ppg to round out the top four. Wright also leads the Georgetown squad with 39 assists.
Pitt is 4-4 on the season most recently falling to No. 7/6 Duke, 92-43, on Sunday afternoon. Freshman guard Brianna Kiesel had 12 points and classmate Cora McManus posted 12 rebounds, but it was not enough as the Panthers dropped their second-straight road contest. Pitt opened the season with six home games and is 4-2 at the Petersen Events Center.
Kiesel leads Pitt averaging 13.6 ppg and sophomore guard Marquel Davis is second with 12.1 ppg. Redshirt sophomore center Leeza Burdgess and sophomore forward Kyra Dunn are both averaging a squad-best 7.6 rpg on the boards.
Georgetown is 21-27 all-time against the Panthers with a record of 17-26 in BIG EAST Regular Season contests and a mark of 8-15 on the road against Pitt in those matchups. Last season, the Hoyas downed the Panthers, 67-57, at McDonough Arena as Rodgers scored 16 points and GU had three players in double figures. In the last meeting in Pittsburgh, the Hoyas won 66-63.
Georgetown will be at the University of Pittsburgh for a 7 p.m., matchup at the Petersen Sports Complex. The game will be broadcast locally in Pittsburgh on Comcast. Gametracker will be available at GUHoyas.com.
