Pitt
Michigan State
Pitt Women's Basketball Rallies Past Michigan State, 64-54
12/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2011
CANCUN, MEXICO – Pitt women’s basketball rallied from a double-digit deficit to post a 64-54 win over Michigan State at the Caribbean Classic on Wednesday afternoon at the Moon Palace.
Freshman point guard Brianna Kiesel paced the Panthers (7-5) with 16 points, 14 of those in the second half. Kiesel was 10-of-11 from the free throw line.
Sophomores Marquel Davis and Asia Logan scored 14 and 11 points each.
“This is a huge, huge win,” said Agnus Berenato. “The team really pushed through and showed tremendous perseverance, coming back from a double-digit deficit. It was awesome for this young team to win the Caribbean Classic, their first Classic crown.”
Trailing 33-26 at the half, the Panthers erupted for 13-straight points over a 4:21 span to open the second stanza.
Sophomore guard Ashlee Anderson started the run with a floater in the paint and closed it with a baseline jumper at the 15:41 mark to give Pitt a 39-33 lead. In between, Kiesel dropped a two plus the foul and a pair of free throws, Kyra Dunn added one from the stripe and Abby Dowd drained a 3-pointer from the left side.
The Spartans would not go away quietly, using a 7-2 run to close to a point at 41-40 with 12:13 remaining. After Asia Logan quieted MSU on the next Pitt possession, the Spartans scored five-straight to retake the lead at 45-43 with 10:57 left.
A media timeout turned the tide as Pitt bounced out of the break on fire, tallying 12 of the next 16 points. Davis sparked the run by scoring six over the surge, the last basket coming at the 5:04 mark to put the Panthers out ahead, 55-48.
MSU got as close as three points (55-52) two possessions later, but could gain no further ground on the Panthers. A fade-away jumper from Kiesel on the next play stopped the opposing run as Pitt took a five-point edge and stretched it to double-digits - as many as 12 – in the closing seconds.
The Spartans commenced the first half, by scoring the game’s first 12 points. Pitt did not get on the board until the 14:13 mark of the first half on a Logan triple. MSU pulled out to as many as 14 (29-15) with 5:19 showing. Pitt used an 11-4 run to make it a seven point game at the break, 33-26.
Game Notes
The game featured a 26-point swing as Pitt trailed by as many as 14 – and then led by as many 12.
MSU was held to 53 points, its second fewest points this season.
Pitt forced the Spartans into 21 turnovers – their third-highest total of the season.
Brianna Kiesel had 16 points, leading the team in scoring for the second-straight game and in the fourth game this season.
Marquel Davis registered 14 points, going 5-of- 6 in the contest. Davis now has five games on the season in double-digits.
Asia Logan posted her third double-digit game of the season, scoring 11 points – nine of those in the first half.
Pitt was outrebounded, 34-33- the second time this season – and in as many games- that Pitt captured a win in a game in which they were out-rebounded.
The Panthers have matched their longest win streak of the season (3). Pitt is idle until Dec. 28 when they face cross town rival Duquesne.
The Pitt bench had 33 points, 19 in the first half.
Pitt improved to 3-0 all-time against Michigan State and beat a Big Ten opponent twice in as many games.
