Pitt
7-18,1-11ACC
#3 NC State
21-3,9-3ACC
Pitt Downed by #3 NC State in 17th Annual Pink The Pete Game
2/11/2024 3:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's basketball team (7-18, 1-11 ACC) fell to #3 NC State 83-47 Sunday afternoon in the 17th annual Pink the Pete Breast Cancer Awareness game at the Petersen Events Center. Panther faithful showed out and supported the cause, as 2,001 fans were in attendance for the event.
The Panthers, decked out in their pink uniforms with white trim, honored breast cancer survivors in their starting lineup including Heather Verdi, wife of head coach Tory Verdi, who recently was deemed to be breast cancer free after a five-year battle.
Freshman Aaryn Battle led the Panthers in scoring as she netted 11 points and two rebounds in 34 minutes of work while Liatu King finished off her game with nine points and a team-high 12 rebounds in the loss. Jala Jordan finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 26 minutes while Marley Washenitz had 10 points, two rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes of action.
The Panthers shot 29.7% from the field, 13.3% from behind the arc, and 77.8% from the free throw line while scoring 18 points in the paint, grabbed nine offensive rebounds, and forced nine turnovers.
How It Happened
The Panthers traded shots with the Wolfpack early in the contest, with jump shots from King, Battle, and Jordan. With 7:11 left in the quarter, King snatched her 100th steal of her career. Pitt held NC State without a field goal for 2:42 in the quarter but trailed 23-14 after an NC State run to end the first. King shot 4-for-4 from the field in the frame as she had eight points through the first 10 minutes.
Battle opened the scoring for the Panthers in the second quarter with a tough step-back jumper over a Wolfpack defender. Battle rejected a shot in transition on the defensive end, but Pitt was outscored 30-6 in the second quarter to trail 53-20 at half.
Pitt's defense held NC State to a 3:55 scoring drought in the third quarter as they held the Wolfpack to 0-for-12 shooting during the drought. Helping the Panthers chip into the deficit was Washenitz with six points, two rebounds, a block, and a steal in the quarter. Pitt outscored NC State 13-10 in the third quarter, but still trailed 63-33 heading into the fourth.
Battle knocked down back-to-back shots for Panthers and led all scorers with eight in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers were unable to complete the comeback. Pitt was outscored 20-14 in the fourth as they fell 83-47.
Game Notes
- With the loss, Pitt is now 2-11 against NC State all-time including 0-6 in Pittsburgh
- Pitt is now 5-12 all-time in their Pink The Pete games
- King grabbed 12 rebounds which marked her 15th game this season with 10+ rebounds
- Washenitz had her fourth double-digit scoring game of the season with 10 points while also drawing her 26th charge in 25 games
- Jordan finished with 10 points and has scored in double-digits in eight of her last nine games
What's Next
- Pitt travels to face North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC on Thursday, February 15
- Tip-off is set for 6 PM and can be streamed on ACC Network Extra
