Women’s Basketball: Panthers fall to WVU, fail to win Big East game

Despite keeping it close in the first half, the Pitt women’s basketball team couldn’t… Despite keeping it close in the first half, the Pitt women’s basketball team couldn’t contain West Virginia and ultimately fell to the Mountaineers 60-42.

The loss means that Pitt (8-21, 0-16 Big East) has finished Big East play without a win.

The team’s losing streak is now at 15 games.

Pitt shot just 6-20 for 30 percent in the first half, but made up for its offensive ineptitudes by holding West Virginia to 6-25 and 24 percent from the field.

Pitt went into the break with the scored tied at 18 and its first Big East win seemingly within reach. Freshman floor general Brianna Kiesel took over once play resumed, scoring seven points in the first four minutes to keep Pitt in close competition with West Virginia. But the Panthers’ success wouldn’t last.

After a Christal Caldwell free throw made it 28-27 West Virginia, the Mountaineers went on a 12-1 run and the Panthers could only watch the game slip away. During that run, Pitt failed to score a field goal for seven minutes, from 16:18 until 8:59 on the clock.

West Virgnia (21-8, 11-5 Big East) caught fire in the second half, shooting 59.7 percent from the field.

Kiesel carried the Panthers as best she could, scoring 21 points, 13 of which came in the second half. But with no other player scoring double digits, her efforts proved futile.

After West Virginia’s run, a Leeza Burdgess hook shot made it 41-30 and stopped the bleeding, but only temporarily.

Asya Bussie was the only Mountaineer in double digits. She finished with 14 points.

Pitt got in the bonus early on with 14:30 left, sending the Mountaineers to the line often. They shot 36 free throws and converted 23.

Burdgess picked up her fourth foul with 7 minutes left, putting West Virginia into the double bonus.

From there, West Virginia wouldn’t relinquish its lead.

The Panthers will play South Florida, the nin^th seed, on Friday at 2 p.m. in the first round of the Big East tournament.