Pitt
Providence
Panthers Earn First Big East Win, Down Providence 72-58
1/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 23, 2010
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Taneisha Harrison tallied 22 points, tying a game-high while Jania Sims and Shayla Scott chipped in 11 and 13 points respectively as the Panthers were able to snap a five-game losing streak in Big East play with their 72-58 win over Providence here today at Alumni Hall.
Pitt (12-7, 1-5 Big East) picked up its first win in 2010 and just the fifth overall win in Providence while the Friars fall to 12-7, 3-3 Big East.
The Panthers outlasted the Friars in the second half, thanks in part to a team record 37 free throws made in the game, 27 of which came in the second half alone. Pitt finished with an 82.2 (37-for-45) percent mark from the charity strip, its best this season.
Chelse Marandola, who was limited to just four points in the first half, finished with 22, including a spurt where she scored 10 of the Friar’s first 12 points in the second half. Down by 19 at the start of the second half, Providence went on a 13-2 run, cutting the lead to eight at 45-37.
Following a Harrison jumper at the 9:25 mark that put the Panthers up by 10, Pitt settled down, never again relinquishing their double digit lead.
Five different Panthers scored in the first half, led by Harrison’s 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field, including 2-for-3 from long range. Pitt dominated the boards, holding a 33-19 advantage at break. All but one Panther grabbed at least two rebounds in the first half of play.
Harrison’s jumper at the 17:19 mark capped a 9-0 run from Pitt to start the game. Pitt’s swarming defense held the Friars to just two field goals through the first 10 minutes of the half and a 22.6 percent (7-of-31) clip from the field in the first half.
Marandola, Providence’s leading scorer coming into the game at 18.1 ppg., finished the first half with just four points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field.
Despite the 18-point lead heading into the locker room, the Panthers were shooting just 32.4 percent (11-for-34) in the first half. Scott chipped in seven points and four rebounds in the first half while Sims added six points – all coming from the charity stripe – in addition to her three rebounds and two first-half assists.
The Panthers will be in action next on Jan. 30, when they host the No. 1 ranked Connecticut Huskies at the Petersen Events Center. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
