Sunday afternoon, Pitt women’s basketball (12-17, ACC 4-12) finished its 2024-25 home schedule, welcoming Clemson (13-14, ACC 6-10) to the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers grabbed the lead at the end of the first quarter and didn’t look back in a hard-fought 72-59 victory.
“I thought we came out with a sense of urgency,” Pitt head coach Tory Verdi said. “We played extremely hard. I thought we defended, we rebounded, and when you do those two things, [you] put yourself in a position [to win].”
Pitt’s shooting success vaulted them to a win, sinking 60% of its shots from the floor and 54% from three while holding Clemson to just 31% success from the floor and 25% from deep.
Graduate student center Khadija Faye secured her 15th double-double and fifth-straight game with 20 or more points after her 21-point and 10-rebound outing.
“She’s one of the best players in ACC, there’s no question about it,” Verdi said of the center’s success. “She belongs. She’s gonna have opportunities at the next level — just super proud of what she’s been able to do.”
Before transferring to Pitt last summer, senior forward MaKayla Elmore spent three seasons with Clemson. Elmore started 28 games last year, shooting .372 from the field and averaging 5.6 rebounds. She secured 8 points and eight rebounds on Sunday against her former team.
Amid the senior day celebrations, Pitt seniors Elmore, Faye and guard Brooklynn Miles combined for 41 points and 21 rebounds in their final game at the Petersen Events Center.
Faye helped the Panthers jump out to a quick lead with two jumpers and a layup, but her points were quickly matched by threes from Clemson graduate student forward Summah Evans to tie the game at six.
Pitt took advantage of a three-minute scoring drought for the Tigers, jumping out to a 10-6 lead. The Panthers’ run was highlighted by a driving basket from Miles, who grabbed two points with four Clemson defenders in her face as the shot clock expired.
Clemson broke its drought and forced eight consecutive turnovers, including steals from junior guard Mia Moore and sophomore guard Hannah Kohn, to secure a 12-10 lead.
Faye broke a nearly five-minute scoring drought for the Panthers with an and-one, adding on a layup as time expired to finish the quarter with a 15-12 lead. She finished the first quarter with 11 points but didn’t stop there, opening the second quarter of play with another and-one to give Pitt a 6-point lead.
Both teams spent almost three minutes exchanging missed baskets and rebounds before Evans sank a jumper for Clemson. Pitt junior guard Marley Washenitz quickly responded with a deep three and after layups on each side of the court, Pitt maintained its 23-19 lead.
Miles forced a steal for the Panthers, but a miscommunicated pass let the ball get away before redshirt sophomore guard Mikayla Johnson grabbed the ball back, sinking a basket for her first points of the game.
Another defensive rebound from Johnson set up Miles, who ran down the clock and added two more for Pitt, heading to the locker room with a 31-19 lead after its 13-2 run to finish the half.
Faye opened up the second half with a layup for Pitt that was quickly answered by a score from Clemson senior guard Maddi Cluse. Clemson continued to play physical defense, forcing its 10th steal and cutting into the lead after graduate student guard Loyal McQueen finished the play with an and-one. The Tigers’ top scorer finished the third quarter with 7 points.
After Clemson cut its deficit to nine, Pitt jumped back out with a deep three from Washenitz, who immediately turned around with a steal and an and-one. Elmore sank another basket from behind the arc, falling to the ground and taking a foul to extend Pitt’s lead to 16.
Clemson finished the third quarter with a three from Kohn as time expired, making it 50-37 in Pitt’s favor.
Four steals in the final quarter weren’t enough, as Washenitz’s 9 points for Pitt secured its fourth ACC victory. The junior finished the day with a career-high 20 points, as well as three rebounds and four assists.
“Marley’s first one in the gym, last one to leave. And that’s where you get your confidence,” Verdi said. “Credit her and her effort and her mental toughness that she has.”
The Panthers’ 12th win of the season contributes to their best season since 2016 when they secured a 13-17 campaign and won four ACC games. They can earn the most ACC wins in a season on Thursday when Pitt heads north for a matchup with Syracuse (10-16, ACC 4-11) in the JMA Wireless Dome. Catch the game on ACCNX at 7 p.m.