Panthers Comeback Effort Falls Just Short On Sunday

Sunday, December 8

Pittsburgh, Pa.

2:00 PM

Pitt

3-6,0-0ACC

Stony Brook University

8-1,0-0America East

Stony Brook

Pittsburgh

Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics

Panthers Comeback Effort Falls Just Short On Sunday

12/8/2019 5:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's basketball team (3-6, 0-0 ACC) saw their ferocious comeback attempt fall just short on Sunday afternoon inside the Petersen Events Center as the Stony Brook Seawolves escaped with a 59-56 victory. Pitt outscored the Seawolves 22-12 in the final quarter but a game-tying triple didn't fall as the Panthers were handed their second straight defeat for the first time this season.

"It was disappointing that we couldn't pull out the win but we didn't give ourselves a chance in those early quarters," said second-year head coach Lance White. "We were really stalling as an offensive team and a lot of missed assignments and things like that, which we have to correct and figure out a way to all be on the same page. Credit [Aysia] Bugg for giving us a chance down the stretch to get back in the game."

Trailing by 13 entering the fourth quarter, the youthful Panthers showed some heart across the final 10 minutes of play as they fought back and had a chance to tie the game on the final shot. Pitt went on a 9-0 midway through the final quarter to cut the deficit to just three, 53-50, with just over two minutes left. Senior Aysia Bugg came through when her team needed her as she knocked down a pair of deep jumpers to cut the lead to two, 58-56 with 11 seconds to play. After the Seawolves missed one of two free throws, Marcella Lamark got a contested look from deep to send the game to overtime but her jumper rattled around the rim and bounced out as Stony Brook collected the 59-56 win.

It was a slow start offensively for the Panthers on Sunday as the Seawolves were able to get out to the 14-5 lead just over seven minutes in. Pitt was able to salvage the slow start as Emy Hayford made a pair of free throws and Bugg drained a three at the end of the first as Pitt trailed 14-10 through 10 minutes.

Amber Brown gave the Panthers a spark early in the second quarter as she scored four straight including a pretty drive and finish in the open court to cut the Pitt deficit to one, 17-16, three minutes into the second. The Seawolves came back and pushed their lead back to seven, 27-20, with just over a minute to play in the half but Pitt responded with a Hayford fast break layup and a layup by Cara Judkins to head to the locker room trailing 27-24.

The third quarter continued to give Pitt problems on Sunday as they were outscored in the quarter by Stony Brook, 20-10. Pitt turned the ball over six times in the quarter as the visitors were able to extend their lead out to 13, 47-34, at the end of the third.

Pitt came out strong in the fourth quarter and made things interesting as they turned up the ball pressure on the defensive end of the court and forced some mistakes by Stony Brook. Pitt outscored the Seawolves 22-12 in the final quarter but saw their comeback attempt fall just short.

Bugg led all Pitt players with 16 points, four assists and a steal across a season-low 29 minutes of work while Brown continued her strong play with 15 points, eight rebounds and a steal in 37 minutes of action. Judkins closed out her game with six points, seven rebounds and two blocks while Emy Hayford came off the bench and scored six points and five rebounds across 30 minutes.

For the game, the Panthers outrebounded the Seawolves 41-31 and held the 16-7 advantage in fast break scoring. Pitt turned the ball over 19 times and Stony Brook turned those chances into 16 points. Pitt went 14-for-18 from the free throw line and shot 39.2% overall while holding the visitors to just 36.2% shooting in the loss.

NEXT UP

Pitt stays at home for their next game as they welcome Miami (OH) to the Pete on Dec. 17 at 6:30 pm. The game against the RedHawks will air live on the ACC Network.

PITT NOTES
TEAM

With the loss, Pitt falls 1-1 all-time against Stony Brook and 1-3 against America East opponents.
Pitt has lost two games in a row for the first time this season.
The Panthers grabbed 41 rebounds on Sunday and now have notched 40+ rebounds in six straight games.

Amber Brown

Finished off her afternoon with 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds, five offensive, across a team-high 37 minutes of action.
Went 6-for-11 from the floor and her 37 minutes were a career-high for minutes played.
She has scored in double figures in five straight games.
She has now recorded four or more rebounds in all nine of her career games.
She has grabbed 10+ rebounds five times this season.

Aysia Bugg

Led the team in scoring for the fifth time this season as she netted 16 points, four assists and a steal across 29 minutes of action.
The 29 minutes were a season-low for the senior and her four assists tie a season-high.
She has now scored 10+ points in eight of the Panthers nine games including a pair of 20+ point efforts.
Over her last three games, Bugg has connected on 9-of-9 from the free throw line including 2-for-2 today in the loss.
The team captain has now accumulated 854 career points and 328 career assists in a Pitt uniform.

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