Women’s Basketball: Panthers prepare for Mays, Toledo in opening round of WNIT

The Pitt women’s basketball team will tip off its fifth straight postseason appearance… The Pitt women’s basketball team will tip off its fifth straight postseason appearance today when the Panthers take on Toledo at the Rockets’ home court.

Pitt (16-13, 5-11 Big East) played in three straight NCAA Turnaments and reached two consecutive Sweet 16s before breaking the streak this season. However, the Panthers are still excited to continue play in the postseason.

Head coach Agnus Berenato said the team is looking at the Women’s National Invitation Tournament as an opportunity to start fresh. The season is behind them, Berenato said, and the postseason gives the Panthers a chance to “define who [they] are going to be in the future.”

Toledo (24-8, 12-4 Mid-American Conference) won the MAC west division regular season title, giving the team an automatic WNIT berth, but then fell short of a conference tournament title. The Rockets lost to Bowling Green 62-53 in the MAC championship game.

“I know Toledo is a really good team from the MAC,” Berenato said in a press release. “It’s always great to play teams from other conferences, and I’m looking forward to going to Toledo this week. They’re well coached [and have] a very good point guard and some girls that can score, so it will be a challenge.”

Senior Tanika Mays led Toledo with 18 points in the loss to Bowling Green. Melissa Goodall added a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Naama Shafir contributed 12 points and 7 assists.

Both Mays and Shafir were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Mays is a versatile forward who transferred from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis after her sophomore season. She can guard on the perimeter and can play facing the basket, but she also utilizes a variety of post moves inside. Mays leads the Rockets with 14.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Goodall, a junior, is best when playing with her back to the basket. The forward averages 10.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Shafir is a 5-foot-7 sophomore guard originally from Israel, known for her quickness and knack for running the floor. She scores 13.8 points and dishes out five assists per game.

The Rockets have three seniors on their roster, compared to Pitt’s zero. All three of Toledo’s seniors are forwards, giving the Rockets an experienced frontcourt. Aside from Mays, Allie Clifton and Lisa Johnson also play solid minutes.

Clifton averages 6.3 points in 20.4 minutes per game, while Johnson scores 3.6 points in 13.4 minutes.

Mays and Goodall, who combine for 13.7 rebounds per game, will have to contend with Chelsea Cole, Pitt’s rebounding force inside. Cole led the Big East in rebounding, pulling down 11.3 boards per game, including 4.7 offensive rebounds.

Cole is currently riding a streak of six straight double-doubles, including a 12-point, 10-rebound performance in Pitt’s loss to Louisville in the opening round of the Big East tournament.

Furthermore, Berenato said Cole provides leadership for the Panthers. That’s something the Panthers have searched for all season after the departures of graduated seniors Shavonte Zellous and Xenia Stewart.

Shayla Scott and Shawnice “Pepper” Wilson also contribute on the boards for the Panthers. Scott pulls down 5.3 rebounds per game, while Wilson grabs 4.3. Wilson scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Pitt’s loss to Louisville.

In the backcourt, Jania Sims performed well for the Panthers all season. The point guard leads Pitt in scoring (13 points per game) and assists (3.8 assists per game.) She scored 10 points in Pitt’s loss to Louisville.

Both Sims and Cole were named to the Big East Honorable Mention Team.