Stingy Defense Leads Panthers To 58-50 Win Over Ole Miss

Saturday, November 30

Daytona Beach, FL

5:45 PM

Pitt

3-4

University of Mississippi

5-3

Ole Miss

Pittsburgh

Stingy Defense Leads Panthers To 58-50 Win Over Ole Miss

11/30/2019 8:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

DAYTONA BEACH, Fl. – The University of Pittsburgh women's basketball team (3-4, 0-0 ACC) closed out the Daytona Beach Invitational with a 58-50 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday evening inside the Ocean Center. Pitt has now notched wins against SEC foes in back-to-back seasons.

"I am really proud of our team today," stated second-year head coach Lance White. "I thought we showed a lot of poise and toughness. I was especially pleased with our rebounding. This was one of the most complete games we have put together this season. I was really excited to see the play of Gabbie Green, she battled all game long. Our young kids are learning how hard you have to play every game and the value of possessions."

Aysia Bugg led the way for the Panthers on Saturday as she netted 20 points, five rebounds and two assists while connecting on three triples, all in the first half. Freshman forward Amber Brown was great once again for Pitt as she notched her third double-double with 14 points and 10 boards while Gabbie Green chipped in with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists in the win.

Pitt opened the scoring on their first possession of the game as Aysia Bugg drained a contested triple and Dayshanette Harris hit a mid-range jumper to give the Panthers a 5-2 lead early on. After the Rebels tied things up, 7-7, the Panthers were able to drain back-to-back three-pointers as Bugg and Gabbie Green got free to give Pitt the 13-7 lead at the first media timeout. Bugg and Green went back-to-back from deep again and Amber Brown finished off a layup as Pitt went to the second quarter leading 22-12.

The Panthers opened up their biggest lead of the first half a couple minutes into the second quarter as Harris crossed up her defender and finished a layup and Green knocked down a deep three to give Pitt the 29-13 lead. The Rebels were able to make a run to close out the first half as they outscored Pitt 14-5 over the final five minutes to send things to the locker room with Pitt leading 34-27.

The Rebels came out of the halftime locker room with some energy as they were able to go on a 9-2 run to tie the game up, 36-36, at the media timeout in the third. The Rebels then were able to earn their first lead of the game, 41-40, with just over three minutes left in the third but Green drained her fourth triple of the game to send Pitt to the fourth with the 43-41 lead.

The two teams went back-and-forth to start the fourth quarter before the Panthers were able to get some momentum and take the lead. With the score tied 47-47 midway through the final quarter, the Panthers went on a 6-0 run behind a pair of Brown buckets and a Rita Igbokwe layup. The Panthers defense did the rest as they locked down the Rebels over the final two minutes to earn the 58-50 win.

As a team, the Panthers shot 38% from the floor while connecting on seven three-pointers, more than they had in the last three games combined. On the glass, Pitt outrebounded the Rebels 45-32 while also grabbing 16 offensive rebounds in the win.

NEXT UP

The Panthers head to Happy Valley to take on Penn State at 7:00 pm in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge to close out a three-game road swing.

PITT NOTES
TEAM

With the win, Pitt improves to 4-16 all-time against teams from the SEC while also improving to 2-1 against Ole Miss.
Pitt has now defeated a SEC team in two straight seasons for the first time in school history.
The Panthers went 5-for-8 from three in first quarter, the most three-pointers in a single quarter this season.

Aysia Bugg

Finished off her night with a game-high 20 points, five rebounds and two assists across 33 minutes of work.
Went 6-for-11 from the floor, 3-for-8 from behind the arc and 6-for-8 from the charity stripe.
She has now scored 10+ points six times this season and 20+ points two times.
She has played 30+ minutes in all seven games this season for the Panthers.

Gabbie Green

The junior finished off her strong game with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal across 35 minutes of work.
She tied a career-high going 4-for-6 from behind the arc.
The 35 minutes are a career-high as she has now played 30+ minutes twice this season.
She now has two games with 10+ points.

Amber Brown

Scored a career-high 14 points for the third straight game while also grabbing 10 rebounds and two steals across 33 minutes.
Finished off the game going 4-for-10 from the floor while going 6-for-8 from the charity stripe.
The 14 point and 10 rebound effort marked her third career double-double.
She has now recorded four or more rebounds in all seven of her career games.
She has grabbed 10+ rebounds four times this season.
She has played 30+ minutes in six straight games.