Pittsburgh Wins UNC Greensboro Tournament Over Host Spartans
11/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Pittsburgh Wins UNC Greensboro Tournament Over Host Spartans
11/27/2004
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? The first 30 minutes of Saturday?s championship game of the UNC Greensboro women?s basketball tournament was one-sided but the Panthers made sure the final 10 minutes went their way, finishing on a 27-6 run to defeat the host Spartans, 62-55, at Fleming Gym for their first tournament title since the 1998 Pittsburgh Panther Invitational at Fitzgerald Field House.
UNC Greensboro (1-2) scored the first six points of the game on two three-pointers by Jasmine Byrd, who led the Spartans with a game-high 15 points. The Panthers were able to close the gap to one on two occasions and then tied the game at 12-12 on junior Katie Histed?s (Waverly, N.Y./Waverly) second three-point basket in the first seven minutes of the game. The teams traded baskets and were tied again at 16 with 11:03 remaining in the first half before the Spartans went on a 21-11 run to close the half with a 37-27 advantage.
The second half continued the host Spartans? run and the lead was increased to 14 points at 49-35 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the contest. After a free throw by Amy Kunich (Monroeville, Pa./Oakland Catholic), sophomore guard Brooke Hughes (Wheelersburg, Ohio/South Webster) connected on a three-pointer to close the gap to 10 points. Histed followed that with two more free throws and then Hughes was open again for another three points to cut the lead to five at 49-44. Junior Cheron Taylor (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) scored the Panthers? next four points on a lay-up and two free throws before Histed broke free after a steal and gave Pittsburgh its first lead of the game at 50-49 with 6:50 to go. Three more points by the Panthers completed an 18-0 run before the Spartans tied it at 53-53 with 4:09 left.
With Pittsburgh holding on to a three-point lead, Hughes connected on her third three-point basket of the second half and sixth of the season to push the Panthers? advantage to six at 60-54. The Panthers held on for the 62-55 victory and the tournament title. Kunich was named the Most Valuable Player after scoring seven points with six rebounds and three assists in Saturday?s win. Taylor was also named to the All-Tournament Team with six points and eight rebounds in the win over the Spartans.
Leading the way for Pittsburgh against UNC Greensboro was Histed with 15 points and freshman center Marcedes Walker (Philadelphia, Pa./University City), who tallied 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. The win gives the Panthers a perfect 3-0 mark for the second time in three seasons and for the 10th time in school history. Pittsburgh?s best start is 5-0, achieved in 1974-75 and 1982-83.
Notes: With the win, Pittsburgh has three consecutive victories for the first time since Dec. 7-17, 2002?the Panthers made 21 of 30 free throws in the game, giving them 20 or more free throws in all three games this season?for the year, the Panthers are shooting 70.6 percent from the charity stripe (77 of 109)?Pittsburgh held UNC Greensboro to 28 percent shooting from the floor, including just 16.7 percent in the second half (5 of 30)?Pittsburgh?s home opener will be Wednesday, Dec. 1 vs. Robert Morris at Petersen Events Center.