Pitt
12-14, 4-9ACC
North Carolina
14-14, 4-9ACC
Big First Half Lifts Pitt Past UNC, 76-60
2/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BOX SCORE | SEASON STATISTICS | 
PHOTO GALLERY
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A dominant first half for the University of Pittsburgh women's basketball team lifted the Panthers to a decisive 76-60 victory over North Carolina on Thursday night at Carmichael Arena.
The Panthers (12-14, 4-9 ACC) used a 29-1 run that covered the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second which opened up an insurmountable lead that the Tar Heels (14-14, 4-9 ACC) could not overcome.
Pitt had three players notch double-doubles in the win, led by Stasha Carey with 14 points, 15 rebounds, four steals and two assists. Brenna Wise added 10 points and 13 rebounds, and Aysia Bugg had 15 points and a career-high tying 10 assists.
The Panthers shot 45 percent overall and have now won four straight ACC road games, which is their longest road winning streak since the 2008-09 season.
"This was such a great team win," head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio said. "It started with our defense in the first half and that helped us get easy baskets on the offensive end. We had another balanced scoring attack tonight and this was our most complete game of the season."
The two teams were tied 8-8 at the first media timeout of the game, but the Panthers ended the quarter on a 12-0 run and took a 20-8 lead entering the second quarter.
Kalista Walters came off the bench to score six points during the run, and Bugg's 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Pitt its 12-point first quarter cushion.
The Panthers continued the momentum and opened the second quarter by scoring the first 10 points, capped Fred Potvin's 3-pointer which forced another UNC timeout at the 6:22 mark with the Panthers up 30-8.
The run was extended to 29-1 after Carey connected on a 3-pointer, and although UNC answered with a triple of its own, Carey connected from deep again to move the Panthers ahead 40-12 which ultimately capped a 32-4 run.
The Panthers led 45-16 at halftime behind Bugg's 11 points and six assists. Carey added eight points and 11 rebounds at intermission, while Wise had six points and 10 rebounds. Pitt shot 43 percent in the half (16-of-37) and held UNC to 20 percent (5-of-24) while forcing 15 Tar Heel turnovers.
 | "This was our most complete game of the season." |
Despite UNC outscoring Pitt 18-11 in the third quarter, the Panthers held a commanding 22-point lead entering the fourth (56-34).
UNC tried to claw back into the game and opened the final stanza on a 10-4 spurt, but Carey and Potvin combined to score the next five points to increase Pitt's lead back to 21 and put the game out of reach.
Potvin finished the game with 12 points and she is 22-of-47 from behind the arc since becoming a starter seven games ago. The Panthers are 4-3 with Potvin in the starting lineup.
Pitt's three double-doubles in the same game was the first time the Panthers have done that since 2013.
Pitt now returns to the Petersen Events Center to host its ninth annual Pink the Petersen Breast Cancer Awareness game vs. No. 23 Syracuse on Sunday. Tip is set for 3 p.m. on RSN.
