Women's Basketball Holds Off Long Beach State, 64-62
12/3/2004
The Panthers were led by junior Cheron Taylor, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Long Beach State Box Score
Katie Histed had 17 points in the victory over Long Beach State.
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STONY BROOK, N.Y. ? Pittsburgh?s women?s basketball team fought off a feisty Long Beach State squad to up its record to 5-0 on the season, defeating the 49ers, 64-62, Friday night at the Holiday Inn Express Invitational at Stony Brook. With the win, the Panthers tied the school record for consecutive wins to open a season as they also started the 1982-83 campaign with a perfect 5-0 mark.
Pittsburgh led by as many as 15 points (45-30) midway through the second half before Long Beach State caught fire and forced several turnovers. The 49ers dug into the lead and pulled to within one point twice in the final 10 seconds of the game. Leading 61-56 with 24 seconds remaining, the Panthers allowed a layup by Jayme Connors to make it a three-point game.
Cheron Taylor missed two crucial free throws with 20 seconds to go and Petra Glaser closed the gap to one point, 61-60, on a layup with 10 ticks left. After Katie Histed was fouled and made two clutch free throws to stretch the lead by to three points with nine seconds left, Long Beach State point guard Candice Wilson was fouled by Taylor. After making the first one, Wilson tried to intentionally miss the second shot but wound up banking the free throw in, giving Pittsburgh just a one-point advantage again (63-62).
Amy Kunich iced the game with one second remaining as she made one of two free throws and the 49ers were unable to get a shot off in the final second.
Pittsburgh shot just 33 percent (20 of 61) from the field for the game while Long Beach State hit 35 percent (20 of 57) of its field goals. Both teams struggled from 3-point range (Pittsburgh ? 29 percent, LBSU ? 17 percent) while the Panthers connected on just 56 percent (18 of 32) from the charity stripe.
The Panthers led by 14 points in the first half before taking a 29-25 advantage into halftime.
Taylor recorded her double-double of the season and third of her career, finishing with team-highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Histed, who nailed three 3-pointers, tallied 17 points and dished out four assists while Kunich added 12 points, four rebounds and four steals. Jennifer Brown pulled down 10 rebounds.
Crystal McCutcheon paced the 49ers with a game-high 19 points.
Pittsburgh returns to action on Saturday afternoon as it battles host-Stony Brook at 3 p.m.
NOTES: The teams combined for 48 fouls (24 each)?the Panthers outrebounded LBSU, 46-45?Pittsburgh?s starters combined for 55 of the 64 total points?the Panthers have won five straight games for the first time since recording five consecutive from Dec. 29, 1999, to Jan. 8, 2000.
