Pitt
8-9, 0-4
Syracuse
13-4, 3-1
Pitt Downed by rv/rv Syracuse, 71-48
1/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BOX SCORE | SEASON STATISTICS | McCONNELL-SERIO PRESS CONFERENCE
SYRACUSE, N. Y. - The University of Pittsburgh women's basketball team sustained a 71-48 loss to rv/rv Syracuse University on Thursday night at the Carrier Dome.
Brenna Wise and Kalista Walters led the Panthers with 13 points apiece. It was the eighth consecutive game for Wise in double figures, and Walters' team-high 12th time in double digits. Wise also added a team-high nine rebounds.
Pitt (8-9, 0-4 ACC) was bothered by Syracuse's relentless 1-2-2 full court press as the Panthers turned the ball over a season-high 26 times. Syracuse (13-4, 3-1 ACC) was led by center Briana Day who notched a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. SU's Maggie Morrison added 12 points and Cornelia Fondren had 11.
Syracuse cashed Pitt's 26 turnovers into 27 points, and the SU bench outscored Pitt's 40-6.
The Panthers got off to a fast start and back-to-back 3-pointers from Aysia Bugg and Fred Potvin gave Pitt an early 11-2 lead. Briana Day of Syracuse though, scored the first nine Orange points and engineered a 12-2 run to end the quarter as SU led 14-13 after one.
With Syracuse leading 22-15, Pitt capped a 7-0 run on a baseline jumper from Walters to tie the game, but SU answered with a 9-0 run and forced a Pitt timeout with 3:43 left in the half and the Orange leading 31-22.
The Panthers ended the run with a layup from Wise, and the two teams would go into the locker room with SU leading 36-29. Walters had nine points at the break, while Wise had seven points and six rebounds.
Syracuse outscored Pitt 17-10 in the third quarter, and the Panthers were hampered by going just 3-of-9 at the free throw line in the quarter, which helped the Orange hold a 53-39 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Pitt had nine of its 26 turnovers in the fourth quarter and it resulted in the Orange outscoring Pitt 18-9 in the final 10 minutes.
The Panthers return home on Sunday to host to host No. 16 Florida State. Tip is set for 2 p.m. and it will be Girl Scout Day at the Petersen Events Center.
