DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Opens Duel in the Desert against Pittsburgh on Thursday
12/18/2013 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Dec. 18, 2013
Game Notes: DePaul 
| Pittsburgh
Video Stream | Gametracker | @DePaulWBBSID
LAS VEGAS - The DePaul women's basketball team begins a stretch of three games in three days on Thursday when it begins the Duel in the Desert Tournament at Noon (PT) against Pittsburg at UNLV's Cox Pavilion. DePaul's game with the Panthers will be streamed live on www.tgvn.tv, and GameTracker is also available. In-game scoring and notes can be followed at twitter.com/DePaulWBBSID.
The Blue Demons' second and third games against Washington and Louisiana-Monroe, respectively will tip at 2:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
DePaul (5-3) enters the tournament averaging 86.2 points per game and is coming off a 90-76 win over Dartmouth on Dec. 16. The Blue Demons use a balanced scoring attack as all five starters - Megan Rogowski, Jasmine Penny, Megan Podkowa, Brittany Hrynko and Chanise Jenkins - are averaging more than nine points a game.
Rogowski, who was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, leads the group with 15.4 points per game. The junior guard also paces DePaul's assault from the 3-point line and has 28 triples on the season. Rogowski's 3.5 3-pointers per game leads the BIG EAST and ranks 11th in Division I.
With DePaul's offense running on all cylinders, the Blue Demons are constantly finding the open player for the best possible shot. DePaul is shooting .449 from the field while its 20.8 assists per game ranks sixth in the country. The Blue Demons are recording an assist on two-thirds of their baskets while Jenkins leads the team with 5.5 a game. Hrynko follows with 5.0 assists while the duo has combined for 88 of DePaul's 166 (53.0%) assists.
DePaul and Pittsburgh are meeting for the 13th time, and the first time as a non-conference opponent since the 1980 season. The Blue Demons and Panthers were both members of the BIG EAST Conference from 2005-2013, before Pittsburgh moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. DePaul leads the all-time series with Pitt 8-4 and has won five straight. The two teams have met on a neutral court twice - at the BIG EAST Championship -- and split those meetings.
Pittsburgh (6-4) has won two straight coming into the Thursday's game while the Panthers have won four of six dating back to Nov. 23. The team is led by Brianna Kielsel's 15.9 points, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The Panthers are under the direction of Suzie McConnell-Serio, who is in her first year at Pittsburgh after spending the previous five Duquesne.
