Women’s Basketball: Panthers face first tough test in Minnesota

The Pitt women’s basketball team will face its first serious challenge of the season tonight…. The Pitt women’s basketball team will face its first serious challenge of the season tonight. The Panthers will travel to Minnesota to compete against the Golden Gophers in the Super Six Series.

The Panthers (1-0), coming off a 78-58 victory over Youngstown State in their season opener last Friday, are one of two Big East representatives — the other being Notre Dame —  in the first edition of the competition, which matches up teams from each of the country’s top six conferences.

“It’s a huge honor for us to represent the Big East, and a win would signify a win against a great conference,” head coach Agnus Berenato said.

The game is the first of several tough nonconference games the women will play this winter with others including Duke, Texas Tech and Duquesne.

“We really are going to be tested. Seventeen of our 29 games are against teams that played in the postseason last year,” Berenato said. “I don’t know what I was thinking, but I really believe in order to be the best, you have to beat the best.”

Senior guard Brittaney Thomas said that the tough early-season schedule will only help the Panthers in the long run.

“This Minnesota game is a big game with a big crowd and good players,” Thomas said. “It’ll help preparing us for the Big East for sure.”

The Minnesota Golden Gophers, representing the Big Ten, enter the showdown at 1-1 after being narrowly upset by Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sunday afternoon, but Berenato says winning at Minnesota is difficult for many reasons.

“I’ve coached there before, and the court is raised about two feet, and it’s a very different depth perception for the team,” she said. “It’s just really awkward and bizarre.”

The unique court isn’t the only thing Pitt has to worry about. The Golden Gophers have two guards, Kiara Buford and Leah Cotton, who are averaging about 20 points per game each in their first two contests, but the Panthers welcome the challenge.

“We shouldn’t be scared,” Thomas said. “Everybody has to put it on the floor and play. Regardless of what they have done, we have to come out ready offensively and defensively, and we should be okay.”

After three Wisconsin-Green Bay forwards scored in double figures in the surprising win over Minnesota, Pitt’s frontcourt, led by seniors Chelsea Cole and Shayla Scott, will look to have similar success.

“I’m thinking if we’re going to get the win, Chelsea and our other forwards have to have huge nights,” Berenato said. “They have to have double-doubles, and if they can, then we’ll be in the game.”

No matter who’s on the floor, Berenato believes playing strong defense will be the key to coming away with a crucial early-season win.

“It starts with your defense. It ends with your defense,” she said. “You’re always going to miss shots or not connect on a play, but if our defense can spur our offense, that should help us get some transition buckets and become comfortable with our environment.”