Pitt
5-5,0-0ACC
Lehigh
8-2,0-0Patriot
Late Surge Pushes Panthers Past Mountain Hawks, 94-82
12/10/2023 6:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's basketball team (5-5, 0-0 ACC) collected their third straight win as they defeated the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (8-2, 0-0 Patriot League) 94-82 Sunday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center. The 94 points scored by the Panthers marked the most in a game for Pitt since Nov. 23, 2016 against Slippery Rock.
Leading the Panthers offensive attack was Jala Jordan who tied a career-high with 23 points and five rebounds off the bench while Bella Perkins also netted a career-high 22 points, five assists and three rebounds. Perkins knocked down four three-pointers and, as a team, the Panthers shot 50% from behind the arc in the win.
Marley Washenitz recorded her first career double-double, scoring a career-high 13 points and recording a career-high 10 rebounds, which tied for the most in the game. Liatu King notched 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds, marking her seventh double-double of the season as se is one of four players in the nation to record seven double-doubles.
Pitt's defense forced a season-high 11 steals, led by King who had four. The Panthers defense forced four turnovers in the final 2:26 minutes of the contest to cement the win. As a team, Pitt held the 41-32 edge in rebounds and the 50-18 advantage in scoring inside the paint.
"We have to play great defense," said Head Coach Tory Verdi postgame. "We have to be tough, and we were… We made them quit."
The Panthers opened up the scoring with a quick Aislin Malcolm bucket but found themselves down 17-10 at the media timeout of the first quarter. Washenitz was crashing the boards, grabbing two offensive rebounds in the quarter. Pitt tied the game at 19-19 following a 6-0 run that featured three different Panthers scoring but Lehigh took the 23-19 lead into the second quarter.
King started the second quarter hot, scoring a put-back layup off an offensive rebound. Jordan helped the Panthers find offense in the frame, scoring seven points off three jump shots. Pitt's defense was stout down the stretch of the quarter, not allowing Lehigh to make a field goal in the final 2:35. Five Panthers recorded at least one steal in the half, which translated to 11 points off turnovers. To this point, Pitt shot 60% from behind the arc, with three different players netting a three pointer. Pitt led the game into half, 50-46.
In the third quarter, the Panthers allowed a 12-2 run over a 2:12 stretch. In the closing seconds, Aaryn Battle ripped down a rebound and pushed the Panthers in transition finding King who was trailing and she sunk a jump shot at the buzzer to cut the Mountain Hawk lead to six, 70-64, going into the fourth quarter.
Jordan opened up the quarter netting back-to-back-to-back shots, to give her a season-high 15 points in the contest. With 3:43 left to go in the contest, Jordan found Perkins in the corner who splashed a three-pointer. On the ensuing play, Washenitz drew a charge giving the Panthers the ball back. Perkins netted another catch-and-shoot three-pointer to cap a 15-1 Panther run and give them a nine-point lead. With 1:05 remaining, Washenitz grabbed her 10th rebound, earning her first double-double of her career as Pitt secured the 94-82 home victory.
Game Notes
- With the win, Pitt is now 1-0 all-time against Lehigh and 21-3 against Patriot League teams
- Pitt's 94 points are the most points scored since Nov. 23, 2016 against Slippery Rock and its most points against a Division 1 opponent since Dec. 28, 2014 against Saint Francis
- Pitt's 50 first half points were a season-high
- Pitt's 31 second quarter points are a season-high in a single quarter, and their largest amount in a quarter since Jan. 21, 2021 against Miami
- Washenitz earned her first career double-double and had a career-high in points (13) and rebounds (10)
- Jordan tied a career-high with 23 points
- The Panthers grabbed a season-high 11 steals
- King recorded her seventh double-double of the season. She is one of four players in the nation to have seven so far this season.
Up Next
- The Pitt Panthers travel to Tampa Bay, Florida as part of the Sun Coast Challenge to play Ball State on Tuesday, December 19 and Georgia on Wednesday, December 20.
- Tip-off is set for 12:00 pm for both games.
