PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women’s basketball team fell to Virginia Tech, 84-57, Thursday evening in the Petersen Events Center. MaKayla Elmore and Marley Washenitz led the Panthers with 11 points each.
Washenitz also tallied a team-high five assists and four rebounds while Elmore tacked on a team-high seven rebounds. As a team, the Panthers (9-12, 1-7 ACC) shot 39.3 percent (22-for-56) from the field but 21.4 percent (3-for-14) from 3-point land.
Virginia Tech (14-5, 5-3 ACC) laced a season-high 13 3-pointers on 50 percent (13-for-26) shooting from behind the arc. The Hokies shot 42.7 percent (32-for-75) from the field and had all five starters score at least 13 points. Virginia Tech outrebounded Pitt 51-29, as the Panthers now move to 1-9 this season when being outrebounded by opponents.
How It Happened
Brooklynn Miles knotted the contest at 4-4 following a contested layup to beat the shot clock before a 5-2 Hokie tilt gave Virginia Tech a 9-6 lead at the first media timeout. A Washenitz under-the-basket layup brought Pitt within two, at 12-10. Virginia Tech responded with three consecutive field goals as part of a 9-0 run to take a 21-10 lead into the second quarter.
Mikayla Johnson and Washenitz both netted baskets while getting fouled and converted their free throws, but the Panthers relied on their defense in the second frame. The Pitt defense made its presence felt with a 2:38 stretch where the Panthers didn’t allow a field goal in the second quarter but trailed 41-25 at half. Faye led Pitt with six points in the first half.
Virginia Tech opened the third quarter on a 12-2 run, forcing a Pitt timeout. Pitt ignited its offense with an Audrey Biggs layup after sending a defender over her back. On the following possession, Elmore rattled in a 3-pointer as part of an 10-0 Panther run. Pitt allowed just two Hokie points in the final 4:21 of the third quarter, but trailed 62-43 entering the final 10 minutes.
Virginia Tech used a 5-of-7 shooting run from the field to stretch its lead to 77-51 in the fourth quarter while holding Pitt scoreless for over three minutes. Washenitz led Pitt with four points in the final frame but Virginia outscored Pitt 22-14 down the stretch.
Game Notes
- Pitt outscored Virginia Tech in the paint 34-28.
- Marley Washenitz scored 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting. Washenitz has averaged 12.4 points over her last four games entering tonight’s contest.
- Pitt grabbed a season-low three offensive rebounds and a season-low three steals.
- Pitt allowed a season-high 51 rebounds.
Up Next
Pitt travels to the West Coast to face off against Stanford for the first time as ACC opponents. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. ET, and the game can be streamed on ACCNX.
