Panthers Hang Tough With Miami; Fall At Home, 74-67, On New Year’s Day

January 1, 2023January 1, 2023 Admin

PITTSBURGH – Despite a valiant effort, the Pitt women’s basketball team (7-7, 0-3 ACC) dropped their second straight game Sunday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center to the Miami Hurricanes, 74-67. With the win, Miami improved to 8-6 overall and 1-2 in ACC play.

The duo of Amber Brown and Maliyah Johnson led the Panthers’ offensive attack Sunday as they combined to net 34 points on 12-of-22 from the floor. Brown had 19 points, three steals and two boards while Johnson chipped in with 15 points, five rebounds and two steals in the loss. Dayshanette Harris netted 10 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists while Liatu King battled foul trouble all game, grabbing a team-high seven boards in the loss.

ESSENTIAL GAME INFO

Pitt starting lineup: Dayshanette Harris, Maliyah Johnson, Avery Strickland, Liatu King, Amber Brown

Miami starting lineup: Destiny Harden, Lola Pendande, Karla Erjavec, Ja’Leah Williams, Haley Cavinder

Records: Pitt (7-7, 0-3 ACC) | Miami (8-6, 1-2 ACC)

Location: Petersen Events Center | Pittsburgh, PA

GAME FLOW

Largest lead: Pitt – 2, Miami – 12

Lead changes: 4

Times tied: 3

Time with lead: Pitt – 1:34 | Miami – 36:19

Points off turnovers: Pitt – 17 | Miami – 18

Points in paint: Pitt – 28 | Miami – 38

Second chance points: Pitt – 8 | Miami – 17

Fast break points: Pitt – 20 | Miami – 17

Bench points: Pitt – 13 | Miami – 27

FIRST QUARTER

The two teams exchanged triples to start the scoring as Maliyah Johnson connected on her first of the game from the right corner.

Miami used a 10-0 run to push their lead out to 13-4 three minutes into the game but Johnson made a pair of free throws and Amber Brown finished off a contested layup to make it 13-8 in favor of the Hurricanes at the first media timeout.

Out of the media timeout, the Hurricanes outscored Pitt 8-1 to take their biggest lead of the quarter, 21-9.

Pitt closed out the quarter with the final five points as Avery Strickland netted a triple and Channise Lewis made a pair of free throws to send the game to the second quarter with Miami leading 21-14.

Pitt forced eight Miami turnovers in the first quarter but were held to just 21.4% shooting in the opening frame.

SECOND QUARTER

Pitt started strong in the second quarter as they were able to tie the game, 21-21, just over a minute into the frame as Johnson finished off a layup and triple and Liatu King nailed a jumper.

After the Hurricanes regained the 25-22 lead, Pitt was able to earn their first lead of the game as Brown made a fast break layup and then finished off a three-point play to give the Panthers the 27-26 lead at the media timeout.

The Hurricanes came out of the timeout strong as they scored eight straight to take the 34-27 lead but Pitt closed the gap as Johnson drilled her second triple of the game to end the scoring and send the teams to the locker room with Miami leading by only four, 36-32.

Johnson and Brown combined for 24 of the Panthers’ 32 points in the opening half as they shot a combined 8-for-12 from the floor.

THIRD QUARTER

The Hurricanes netted the first five points of the third quarter before Brown and Dayshanette Harris finished off back-to-back buckets for the Panthers to stop the run.

Harris had a pretty feed to Taisha Exanor who finished off a layup to send the game to the media timeout in the third with Pitt trailing by six, 46-40, midway through the quarter.

After another Brown layup, the Hurricanes scored three quick points to force Pitt into a timeout as they gained the 51-42 lead with 2:40 to play in the third.

Out of the timeout, Pitt scored six of the final eight points of the quarter as Johnson earned a steal and fast break layup to send the game to the fourth with Pitt trailing 53-48.

FOURTH QUARTER

Harris opened the scoring for Pitt in the fourth with a corner triple but the Hurricanes came storming back with seven straight to push their lead out to 62-51 early in the quarter.

After a pair of Harris free throws, Miami scored five straight to push their lead to 12, 67-55 before Lewis ended the run with a jumper outside the lane.

Marley Washenitz came off the bench and netted a triple and a layup to get Pitt back within nine, 69-60, with just over two minutes to go but the Panthers couldn’t get any closer down the stretch as they fell 74-67.

The Hurricanes outscored Pitt 21-19 in the fourth quarter to secure their first road ACC win of the season.

TEAM STATS

Pitt finished the game shooting 37.7% from the floor and 31.6% from behind the arc while the Hurricanes shot 45% from the floor and 33.3% from behind the arc in the win.

Miami held the 44-33 edge in rebounds including the 14-11 edge on the offensive glass. Miami turned 14 offensive boards into 17 second chance points in the win.

Pitt turned the ball over 20 times while the Hurricanes turned it over 24 times in the win. The 24 turnovers caused by Pitt marked a season-high for the Panthers.

UP NEXT

Pitt hits the road Thursday as they travel to Syracuse for another ACC meeting with the Orange. Thursday’s game will tip at 6:00 pm and air on ACC Network.

PITT NOTES
Team

With the loss, Pitt is now 9-26 all-time against Miami including losing nine straight in the series. Pitt is also 6-8 all-time against the Hurricanes in Pittsburgh.