Wednesday, December 1
Pittsburgh, Pa.
6:00 PM
Pitt
6-2,0-0ACC
58
vs
50
Rutgers
4-5,0-0Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Rutgers
15
11
10
14
50
Pittsburgh
10
13
17
18
58
Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics
Panthers Fight Back To Knock Off Rutgers In The B1G/ACC Challenge, 58-50
12/1/2021 10:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's basketball team (6-2, 0-0 ACC) stayed undefeated at home on Wednesday night as they overcame a three-point halftime deficit to earn the 58-50 victory over Rutgers in the B1G/ACC Challenge. Pitt is now 4-0 inside the Petersen Events Center, marking their first 4-0 start at home since 2016-17.
"Obviously, over the last week I think we really grew as a basketball team," stated head coach Lance White. "When you think about the three games we played down in the Virgin Islands, against three NCAA Tournament quality teams, and then come back home and face Rutgers, who you know is a perennial power with everything they've been able to do with their program. For us, it was about growing as a basketball team and I think we did that. And then today, to watch our team put a really gutsy performance and just really battle, start to finish, and just figure out a way to win, I'm really proud of them."
With the game tied, 50-50, with under two minutes to play, the Panthers defense really dug in and helped Pitt secure the victory. After a miss by the Scarlet Knights, Dayshanette Harris drew a foul and connected on a pair of free throws to give Pitt the 52-50 lead with 1:48 left. Pitt then forced a missed shot and a turnover on the next possession that led to two Jayla Everett free throws to extend the Pitt lead out to four, 54-50 with 47 seconds to go. The defense got another stop and Harris found Amber Brown for a fast break layup to seal the win as Pitt went on to down Rutgers 58-50 in front of the home fans.
Everett made her presence felt early on for the Panthers as she knocked down her first triple of the game and then netted a pair of free throws to give Pitt the early 6-3 lead. The Scarlet Knights responded with a quick 7-0 run to take the 10-6 lead but Sandrine Clesca responded with a jumper to end the streak. A Rita Igbokwe offensive rebound and layup cut the Pitt deficit to three-, 13-10, but Rutgers closed out the quarter with a jumper to take the five-point lead to the second.
The Scarlet Knights pushed their lead out to 10, 26-16, mid-way through the second quarter but the Panthers didn't waver as Brown ended the run with a layup and an old fashion three-point play to make the score 26-21. The Panthers defense forced a couple more misses down the stretch of the half and Harris finished off a deep jumper to send the game to halftime with Pitt trailing 26-23.
The Panthers came out of the locker room strong and regained the lead as Everett knocked down a jumper and Brown sank a pair of free throws to make the score 28-26 in favor of Pitt. Rutgers responded with an 8-3 run to take the lead back, 34-31, but Liatu King took over offensively for the Panthers and scored the final seven points of the quarter as Pitt held the 40-36 lead through 30 minutes.
Rutgers opened the fourth with three straight triples as they snagged the lead back, 45-44, three minutes into the final frame. Igbokwe responded with a layup and free throw and King knocked down a pair of free throws to give Pitt the lead back, 49-45, midway through the final quarter. Rutgers netted a layup and free throw to tie the game, 50-50, with just over two minutes left but the Panthers defense locked down and they netted the final eight points of the game to notch the win.
Everett made her return to the lineup and provided the Panthers with a game-high 18 points while connecting on three triples and seven free throws across 33 minutes. Brown had a strong night in the win as she posted 12 points and seven rebounds while connecting on 4-of-8 from the floor in 30 minutes of action. Igbokwe had a big night on the glass as she grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds (six offensive) while adding in eight points, an assist and a block in 31 minutes.
On a special night inside the Pete, the inaugural Deaf Awareness Night, King finished off her impressive game with 11 points, six rebounds (five offensive) and two steals. King's mother Patricia, who is deaf, was at the game Wednesday night as the Panthers collected the victory.
As a team, Pitt was able to win the rebounding battle 40-33 including 15-7 on the offensive glass. Pitt netted 14 second chance points while also turning the ball over just 13 times compared to 16 turnovers by Rutgers.
Rutgers was led offensively by Shug Dickson who netted 10 points, six rebounds and three assists while Jailyn Mason netted eight points and four assists in the loss.
NEXT UP
Team
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"Obviously, over the last week I think we really grew as a basketball team," stated head coach Lance White. "When you think about the three games we played down in the Virgin Islands, against three NCAA Tournament quality teams, and then come back home and face Rutgers, who you know is a perennial power with everything they've been able to do with their program. For us, it was about growing as a basketball team and I think we did that. And then today, to watch our team put a really gutsy performance and just really battle, start to finish, and just figure out a way to win, I'm really proud of them."
With the game tied, 50-50, with under two minutes to play, the Panthers defense really dug in and helped Pitt secure the victory. After a miss by the Scarlet Knights, Dayshanette Harris drew a foul and connected on a pair of free throws to give Pitt the 52-50 lead with 1:48 left. Pitt then forced a missed shot and a turnover on the next possession that led to two Jayla Everett free throws to extend the Pitt lead out to four, 54-50 with 47 seconds to go. The defense got another stop and Harris found Amber Brown for a fast break layup to seal the win as Pitt went on to down Rutgers 58-50 in front of the home fans.
Everett made her presence felt early on for the Panthers as she knocked down her first triple of the game and then netted a pair of free throws to give Pitt the early 6-3 lead. The Scarlet Knights responded with a quick 7-0 run to take the 10-6 lead but Sandrine Clesca responded with a jumper to end the streak. A Rita Igbokwe offensive rebound and layup cut the Pitt deficit to three-, 13-10, but Rutgers closed out the quarter with a jumper to take the five-point lead to the second.
The Scarlet Knights pushed their lead out to 10, 26-16, mid-way through the second quarter but the Panthers didn't waver as Brown ended the run with a layup and an old fashion three-point play to make the score 26-21. The Panthers defense forced a couple more misses down the stretch of the half and Harris finished off a deep jumper to send the game to halftime with Pitt trailing 26-23.
The Panthers came out of the locker room strong and regained the lead as Everett knocked down a jumper and Brown sank a pair of free throws to make the score 28-26 in favor of Pitt. Rutgers responded with an 8-3 run to take the lead back, 34-31, but Liatu King took over offensively for the Panthers and scored the final seven points of the quarter as Pitt held the 40-36 lead through 30 minutes.
Rutgers opened the fourth with three straight triples as they snagged the lead back, 45-44, three minutes into the final frame. Igbokwe responded with a layup and free throw and King knocked down a pair of free throws to give Pitt the lead back, 49-45, midway through the final quarter. Rutgers netted a layup and free throw to tie the game, 50-50, with just over two minutes left but the Panthers defense locked down and they netted the final eight points of the game to notch the win.
Everett made her return to the lineup and provided the Panthers with a game-high 18 points while connecting on three triples and seven free throws across 33 minutes. Brown had a strong night in the win as she posted 12 points and seven rebounds while connecting on 4-of-8 from the floor in 30 minutes of action. Igbokwe had a big night on the glass as she grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds (six offensive) while adding in eight points, an assist and a block in 31 minutes.
On a special night inside the Pete, the inaugural Deaf Awareness Night, King finished off her impressive game with 11 points, six rebounds (five offensive) and two steals. King's mother Patricia, who is deaf, was at the game Wednesday night as the Panthers collected the victory.
Deaf Awareness Night was a success! ?? ??#LEVELUP // #H2P pic.twitter.com/qrehas1VPf
— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_WBB) December 2, 2021
As a team, Pitt was able to win the rebounding battle 40-33 including 15-7 on the offensive glass. Pitt netted 14 second chance points while also turning the ball over just 13 times compared to 16 turnovers by Rutgers.
Rutgers was led offensively by Shug Dickson who netted 10 points, six rebounds and three assists while Jailyn Mason netted eight points and four assists in the loss.
NEXT UP
- Pitt will hit the road Saturday as they take on Ball State in Muncie, IN at 1:00 pm.
Team
- With the win, Pitt is now 4-26 all-time against the Scarlet Knights. It also marked their first win against Rutgers since Feb. 10, 2009.
- Pitt improves to 3-4 all-time in B1G/ACC Challenge games since joining the ACC.
- The Panthers overcame a 10-point first half deficit in the win, their biggest comeback victory of the season.
- Pitt is now 4-0 at home this season, marking the first time they started 4-0 at home since 2016-17.
- Everett finished off her night leading Pitt in scoring for the third time this season as she netted 18 points on 4-of-15 from the floor, 3-of-8 from the three-point line and 7-of-10 from the charity stripe.
- She has now scored in double figures in all five games this season and in seven straight games dating back to the end of last season.
- She has now connected on at least two three-pointers in four of five games this season and in 33 games across her collegiate career.
- The seven free throws made marked a season-high for the senior.
- Everett played a team-high 33 minutes in the win as she now has 44 career games with 30+ minutes played.
- King finished off her night with 11 points, six rebounds and two steals across 22 minutes of work.
- Of her six rebounds, five came on the offensive glass as she now has four games with at least five offensive boards this season.
- Over her last five games, King is averaging 11.6 points and 11.6 rebounds while shooting 50% from the floor.
- She has now scored in double figures four times this season, all of which coming in her last five games.
- She played 22 minutes in the win and has now played 20+ minutes in five straight games and nine times in her career.
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Team Stats
RU
Pitt
FG%
.377
.346
3FG%
.333
.250
FT%
1.000
.613
RB
33
40
TO
16
13
STL
2
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
7
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
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