Pitt
5-6,0-0ACC
Ball State
8-2,0-0MAC
Panthers Drop First Game Of Sun Coast Challenge To Ball State Tuesday
12/19/2023 3:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TAMPA, FL – The Pitt women's basketball team (5-6, 0-0 ACC) fell to the Ball State Cardinals by the score of 73-62 on Tuesday afternoon in the first game of the Sun Coast Challenge in Tampa, FL. The loss snaps Pitt's season-long three-game winning streak.
Liatu King once again led the Panthers offensive attack as she recorded her seventh 20-point game of the season, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds, four blocks, four assists and two steals in the loss. She was super-efficient in the game as she went 10-for-12 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the free throw line. Jala Jordan came off the bench and provided the Panthers with 10 points while Bella Perkins also netted 10 off the bench in the loss.
Pitt finished the game shooting 44.6% from the floor while the Cardinals were held to 39% shooting. The Cardinals won the rebounding battle 41-30 while also scoring 19 second chance points compared to Pitt eight in the loss. The Cardinals finished the game going 18-for-20 from the free throw line while Pitt went 7-for-11 in the loss.
Hutcherson opened the scoring for the Panthers as she hit a hook shot in the lane and a triple before King finished off a layup to give Pitt the 7-0 lead early on. The Cardinals responded with 14 straight to take the lead back before King netted back-to-back buckets to make it 14-11 in favor of Ball State midway through the quarter. Two straight layups by Marley Washenitz and a layup from Jordan cut the Ball State lead to 21-19 through 10 minutes.
The Panthers opened the second quarter with eight straight points to take the 27-21 lead as King finished off layups and Aislin Malcolm buried her first triple of the game. The Cardinals came back to take the 30-29 lead midway through the quarter but Perkins knocked down a corner triple to regain the 32-30 lead for Pitt. Ball State finished the half strong as they made a layup and drilled a three quarters court triple at the buzzer to take the 40-33 lead into the locker room.
The Cardinals opened the third with back-to-back buckets before the Panthers responded with a 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 44-41 over four minutes into the quarter. After a Jordan layup forced a Ball State timeout, Pitt was assessed a technical foul for leaving the bench area too early and the Cardinals made both free throws to make it 46-41. King and Perkins finished the scoring in the quarter for Pitt with a pair of jumper before the Cardinals finished the quarter with five straight to take the 58-47 lead into the fourth.
King opened the final quarter with a pair of free throws to cut the Ball State lead down to single digits but the Panthers didn't get any closer down the stretch. The Cardinals pushed the lead out to as many as 17 in the quarter but Perkins and Jordan finished the game with triples as Pitt fell 73-62 on Tuesday afternoon.
Game Notes
- With the loss Pitt falls to 4-2 all-time against Ball State. The Cardinals have won two straight in the series.
- The loss snaps Pitt's season-long three-game winning streak.
- King finished with a game-high 22 points in the loss. It marks her seventh 20+ point effort of the season while she has scored in double figures in all 11 games.
- Jordan and Perkins combined for 20 points off the bench, marking their second straight game with at least 20 combined points off the Pitt bench.
Up Next
- Pitt concludes the Sun Coast Challenge Wednesday at noon as they take on Georgia. Wednesday's game will air on BallerTV.com.
