Women's Basketball Falls To Missouri, 69-60
11/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2005
PITTSBURGH-Sophomore Marcedes Walker and freshman Xenia Stewart earned a selection to the Pitt Thanksgiving All-Classic team, this afternoon, as Pitt dropped its first game of the season to Missouri, 69-60, in the Classic's championship game.
Pitt (4-1) was led by Walker with 20 points and seven rebounds. Junior Mallorie Winn scored 15 points and recorded four assists, while freshman Shavonte Zellous chipped in 10 points and six rebounds.
Christelle N'Garsanet recorded 18 points for Missouri (4-2) and was joined on the All-Classic team by teammate EeTisha Riddle, while LaToya Bond earned the Classic MVP with 14 points, five assists and five rebounds.
The game started as a shoot out, as both teams didn't miss a basket in the opening minutes. Then after the first shot of the game was missed, both teams went cold and a three-minute scoring drought occurred. Stewart ended the drought and gave Pitt a three-point lead, 9-6, with a lay-up at the 15:16 mark.
Stewart's basket started a 15-3 run that was highlighted by an over-the-top offensive rebound by Zellous, who made the follow. Pitt led 22-9 with less than 10 minutes to play in the first period.
Walker, who caught the ball at the top of the key, was overplayed by her defender and drove to the basket to lift the team to a 24-11 advantage. Walker had 15 points at the half.
Missouri picked up momentum off a three-pointer by Alyssa Hollins and a lay-up in traffic by N'Garsanet, closing the gap to 30-25 with 4:15 remaining in the first stanza.
After a Missouri three-pointer by Blair Hardiek made the score 33-28 with just over two minutes to play, Winn handed the ball off to Walker for a lay-up after being collapsed on in the lane.
Winn recorded the last shot of the half, as she made a baseline jumper with four seconds left on the shot clock. She then went down the court and blocked the Tiger's final attempt, making the score 37-32 at the break.
After intermission Missouri quickly chipped away at its deficit and took the lead three minutes into the half off a fast break lay-up by N'Garsanet, during a 12-4 run.
Down five, Winn found herself surrounded by Tigers again but caught a glimpse of Stewart in the lane and passed her the ball for a basket. Pitt trailed 46-43 at the 14:06 mark.
Zellous grabbed another one of her five offensive rebounds with 12:59 to play and scored making it a 47-45 game, in favor of Missouri.
The Panthers cut it to one point, 49-48, following an inbounds pass from Winn to Walker that resulted in the old fashion three-point play.
Missouri pulled away again and led by seven, 55-48, when freshman Maddy Brown stepped to the line and sank three free throws after being fouled attempting a shot from behind the arc.
Pitt fell behind by eight after a Tiger jumper with 5:14 remaining on the clock. Winn brought the Panthers back within five with a shot from downtown at the 2:08 mark, but that is as close as Pitt would get in the closing minutes.
This was the first meeting between Pitt and Missouri. The Panthers scored 17 second chance points and recorded 30 points in the paint.
The Panthers will be back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at home against Duquesne at 7 p.m.
All-Classic Team
From Towson: Kacy O'Brien
From Missouri: EeTisha Riddle
From Missouri: Christelle N'Garsanet
From Pitt: Xenia Stewart
From Pitt: Marcedes Walker
Classic MVP from Missouri: LaToya Bond