Pitt
Indiana (PA.)
Wignot, Kiesel Lead Pitt Past IUP, 69-61, in Exhibition
11/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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PITTSBURGH - Senior Monica Wignot had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Brianna Kiesel scored a game-high 18 points to lead the University of Pittsburgh women's basketball team past Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday afternoon, 69-61, in exhibition action at the Petersen Events Center.
Wignot shot 7-of-15 from the floor and also chipped in with two blocks and two steals. Kiesel was 5-of-14 shooting and went 7-for-8 at the free throw line. Kiesel also led the defensive charge with five steals as the Panthers forced 31 IUP turnovers. The Crimson Hawks were 11-of-19 from long range which kept them in the game.
Pitt dominated in the paint, outscoring IUP 40-12 in that category, and the Panthers also turned those 31 IUP turnovers into 26 points.
Wignot scored eight of Pitt's first 10 points and her transition layup tied it at 10-10 heading into the first media timeout of the game. That layup was a part of eight consecutive made field goals for the Panthers as they seized a 22-17 lead with 7:44 remaining in the opening half.
IUP scored the next four points and held Pitt scoreless for the next four minutes to get within one (22-21), but Pitt responded with a 9-0 run to gain their largest lead of the half at 31-21 with :48 remaining. IUP's Lindsay Stamp would drain a 3-pointer with :35 remaining in the half as the two teams went into the locker room with Pitt leading 31-24.
Pitt shot 46.4 percent in the opening 20 minutes and assisted on 11 of its 13 made field goals. Wingot's eight points paced the team at the break, while Kiesel and Cora McManus each had seven. McManus also had all eight of her rebounds in the half.
Both teams would score eight points out of the locker room to open the second half, but IUP then outscore the Panthers 14-4, including an 8-0 run, and a 3-pointer from the Hawks' Leslie Stapleton gave IUP its first lead of the second half at 44-43 with 12:33 remaining.
The IUP lead would grow to six at 50-44, but an and-1 from Chelsea Welch and a fast break layup from Kiesel got Pitt within one with 8:41 left.
IUP, who shot 57.9 percent from behind the arc, went up 56-53 on a three from Stapleton with 5:41 left, but Pitt would ratchet up the defense and its pressure led to the Panthers outscoring IUP 16-5 down the stretch.
After that made three from IUP's Stapleton, Pitt went on an 8-0 run to gain a 61-56 lead, but IUP tied it at 61 on a pair of free throws from Zhane Brooks with 1:58 to go. From there however, Pitt forced four consecutive IUP turnovers and would score the remainder of their points from the free throw line.
Fred Potvin joined Kiesel and Wignot in double figures with 10 points. Pitt shot 40.3 percent overall for the game (25-62) and held the rebounding advantage 32-28. IUP was led by Lindsay Stamp who notched a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
This was Pitt's only tune up for the regular season as the Panthers open the campaign on Friday morning, November 14, at 11 a.m. vs. Princeton on School Day. 
