Pitt
9-11,1-6ACC
North Carolina
17-3,5-2ACC
Late 3-point Barrage Pushes No. 14 North Carolina Past Pitt, 75-58
1/19/2025 4:43:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's basketball team fell to No. 14 North Carolina, 75-58, on Sunday afternoon in the Petersen Events Center. Pitt, which ended the game on a 16-3 run, could not overcome North Carolina's seven fourth quarter 3-pointers.
Redshirt sophomore Mikayla Johnson led all scorers in the contest with 18, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter. Graduate center Khadija Faye notched her eighth double-double of the season with her 17-point and 10-rebound performance in the paint.
Shooting woes hurt the Panthers (9-11, 1-5 ACC), as they shot 35 percent (21-for-60) from the field as a team. The Tar Heels (17-3, 5-2 ACC) shot 40 percent (14-for-36) from the field and 40.6 percent (13-for-32) from beyond the arc.
North Carolina outrebounded Pitt, 49-36, as the Tar Heels had three players register at least eight rebounds. Pitt's front court duo senior forward MaKayla Elmore and Faye each notched 10 rebounds in the contest.
How It Happened
Pitt forced seven Tar Heel turnovers in the first quarter, helping the Panthers battle back from an early 10-4 deficit. Of note, North Carolina entered the contest averaging the second-fewest turnovers per game in the ACC (12.5). An Elmore 3-pointer was the offensive bright spot in the quarter for Pitt, whose defense kept the Panthers within reach. North Carolina led the contest 14-9 at the end of the first quarter, despite the Panthers blocking two shots and grabbing four steals.
Faye opened the scoring in the second quarter, netting a contested shot in the paint from an Elmore assist. North Carolina found offense early but was stymied by Pitt's stout zone defense, which forced the Tar Heels into a 3:35 stretch in which they didn't net a field goal. Another Elmore 3-pointer brought the game within three before an 8-0 North Carolina run extended the Tar Heel lead to 27-16 and forced a Pitt timeout. UNC closed the half hitting four consecutive shots to take a 35-22 lead into the locker room.
Brooklynn Miles buried a 3-point look after losing a Tar Heel defender with a pump fake to mark Pitt's first points of the third quarter. Pitt's defense held UNC to just four made baskets and outscored the Tar Heels 13-12 in the frame. Despite six Faye points in the third, the Panthers trailed 47-35 entering the fourth quarter.
North Carolina made five consecutive field goals, four of which were beyond the arc, over a 15-5 run in the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 62-40. Johnson caught fire from 3-point land late, hitting four shots from beyond the arc. The Tar Heels shot 7-of-10 from beyond the arc in the frame to close out the contest.
Game Notes
- Faye notched her eighth double-double of the season, tallying 17 points and 10 rebounds.
- Faye also recorded a career-high eight blocks.
- Pitt forced seven Tar Heel turnovers in the first quarter, with Miles and Washenitz each logging two steals.
- Johnson scored 12 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter.
- Pitt tallied just two total bench points.
- Both Faye and Elmore notched double-digit rebounds.
Up Next
Pitt plays its second-consecutive home game on Thursday against Virginia Tech. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ACCNX.
