Pitt Falls to Princeton in Regular Season Opener
11/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Final Box (PDF)
PITTSBURGH - A decisive 16-0 run for Princeton to begin the second half led to the University of Pittsburgh women's basketball team suffering a 59-43 season opening defeat by the Tigers on Friday morning at the Petersen Events Center.
The Panthers were cold from the floor the entire day, making just 16 of their 63 shots (25.4 percent). Brianna Kiesel led Pitt with 14 points, while freshman Stasha Carey had nine points and 11 rebounds. Princeton's Michelle Miller had a game-high 16 points as the Tigers shot 38.2 percent for the game (21-55).
Neither team came out shooting particularly well as Pitt missed four of its first five shots, while Princeton missed eight of its first 10, but the Tigers led 4-3 at the first media timeout of the game.
The struggles continued for the Panthers as they would miss their next eight shots and Princeton seized a 12-3 lead with 9:45 remaining in the half, forcing Pitt head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio into a timeout.
From that timeout, the Panthers used a 10-3 run over a six minute span to get back in the contest and trailed 16-13 at the 3:38 mark of the half. During that stretch, Pitt held Princeton to 2-of-7 shooting and forced four turnovers.
The Panthers would outscore Princeton 7-3 down the stretch of the half, and Kiesel's 3-pointer with three seconds remaining gave Pitt its first lead of the game as the Panthers took a 20-19 lead into the break.
Both teams shot 28 percent in the half (Pitt 8-28, Princeton 9-32). Carey had seven points and six rebounds at the break to lead the Panthers.
Princeton came out of the locker room to make six of its first eight shots during a 16-0 run to start the second half, capped off by a triple from Michelle Miller to give Princeton a 35-20 lead with 13:05 remaining.
It took Pitt until the 12:10 mark to break Princeton's run, but the Tigers continued to stretch their lead by scoring the next seven points to go up 42-22, forcing another Pitt timeout with 10:39 remaining.
Pitt then relied on its pressure defense and the scoring of Kiesel to try to get back in the game. With Princeton leading, 43-25, Kiesel scored eight of Pitt's next nine points as the Panthers got within 13 (47-34) with 5:48 left.
Pitt continued to chip away and would get within single digits after an offensive rebound and put-back from Yacine Diop which made it 47-39. The Tigers got an and-1 from Miller and led 50-39 at the final media timeout of the game.
Out of the final media timeout, Princeton went on a 7-0 run, knocking down seven straight free throws to extend its lead to 57-39. In the final 1:30, the Panthers put up four final points, including an and-1 by Wignot and a foul shot by Aysia Bugg. The Tigers went on the win the game, 59-43.
Pitt will return to action on Monday, Nov. 17 when it welcomes Niagara at 7 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center.
