PITTSBURGH, PA (PTTP) – The University of Pittsburgh Women’s Basketball team has dealt with many highs and lows, as one athlete, Liatu King, has been making record-breaking accomplishments, while the team has been struggling to perform successfully due to low fan base attendance.
Junior Liatu King saw playing time in all 30 games in the previous season while earning 22 starts at forward for Pitt. The past two seasons, King has earned All-ACC Academic Team honors, which is effortlessly emulated in her performance as an individual, and her performance as a teammate.
This past Sunday, Feb 3 against Notre Dame, King led the Panthers in scoring and rebounding, and at the start of the third quarter, King recorded her 1,000th career point, becoming the 21st member of Pitt’s 1,000 point club.
While King has been able to push her teammates to perform above and beyond, the Women’s basketball team’s fanbase is much less received than the Men’s basketball team. On average, the men’s team packs the student stands for each game, with a record-breaking full-house in their game against Duke on Jan 9.
The Oakland Zoo is an important part of Pitt basketball culture, and King, as well as Assistant Coach Ty Margenthaler, discuss how the lack of student fanbase affects morale and game play, and what they are doing to fix the obstacle.
In response to why there is a lack of student fanbase, King explains “It’s a two-way street…we have to do our parts by putting on a show for our fans…everything is about being consistent. When [home court advantage] is not there, it’s hard to play since we’re at a neutral site.”
However, King has a passion for Pitt Women’s Basketball, and is eager to show this passion to fans. “No matter what, we’re sticking together. Win or lose…that’s really all you can ask for. To watch some excitement, to watch the energy up on the bench or floor, that’s what [the Zoo] will see when they come out.”
King, Coach Margenthaler, and the rest of the team are striving for success as well as a stronger fanbase in their next home game against North Carolina State University on Sunday, February 11 at 12:00 PM.