Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford women's basketball team will host the Penn State-Altoona Lions in AMCC action on Saturday afternoon in KOA Arena.
The Panthers enter the contest in a tough skid as they look to break their losing skid and pick up their first victory in AMCC play. The Panthers are coming off a loss to Alfred State in the midweek. The Panthers stuck with the Pioneers through the first half, trailing by just two points at the break, but were unable to maintain their momentum in the 2nd half. The Pioneers took a commanding lead after a 28-4 3rd quarter to hold on for the victory. Hannah Lary led the Panthers with 18 points on 7-20 from the field, including 4-9 from three. Cailey Barnett and Daizjah Brown each added 9 points, while Cassidy King led with 10 rebounds.
Hannah Lary and Cailey Barnett have been the best offensive options for the Panthers this season. Lary averaged 14.3 points per game on 35.5% shooting. She also leads the team with 3.1 assists per game and grabs 4.4 rebounds. Barnett is the Panthers' second-highest scorer, averaging 11.7 points per game. She leads the team in steals, with 2.0 per game, and also adds 6.8 rebounds. Cassidy King is one of the more effective rebounders in the AMCC, as she is in the top 5 in the category. She grabs 10.5 per game, including 3.0 on the offensive end. she adds 6.6. points per game.
The Lions are on a two-game winning streak, entering the game with a 4-13 record including a 3-7 mark in AMCC play. They defeated Mount Aloysius 56-50 on Wednesday to move into 7th place in the AMCC standings. The Lions are led by senior Alexis Cannistraci, who is the AMCC's leading scorer at 17.3 points per game. She shoots 39.6% from the field and is an 82.7% free throw shooter. She adds 6.6 rebounds per game. Freshman Ellie Matthews is the only other Lion to average double figures, as she scores 11.2 points per game. Matthews is also the Lions' leading rebounder at 8.2 rebounds per contest.
In their prior match-up in Altoona, The Panthers got off to a hot start, taking an 8-point first quarter lead, but saw the hosts battle back and take the momentum in the 2nd period, outscoring Pitt-Bradford 19-7. The Lions continued adding to their lead in the second half, eventually winning the game 70-54. Barnett scored 18 points to finish as the Panthers' leading scorer, while Alexa Ackerman added 10. Cassidy King grabbed 15 rebounds.
In addition to the action on the court, Pitt-Bradford is welcoming to special groups of fans. Both the Pitt-Bradford men's and women's teams will be recognizing their alumni at halftime, with a reception after the men's game. The Athletics department will also be welcoming athletic recruits from all 14 intercollegiate sports as they host the Hoops and Hospitality event in conjunction with the Pitt-Bradford admissions office.
The following regulations will be in place to align with Pitt-Bradford's COVID-19 mitigation efforts for indoor events. All spectators, game staff, officials, and team members not actively participating on the court are required to wear a mask at all times. Masks must be affixed to cover the wearer's nose and mouth. All spectators will be required to sign in upon their entrance into the facility, as the lists will be used in any contact tracing efforts that may become necessary. They will be required to provide a name and contact phone number to game staff.
The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. in KOA Arena.
