For any team’s first game of the season, early jitters are almost inevitable. The Panthers opened their season looking one-dimensional and lacking urgency. On the other hand, Drexel played fast-paced, constantly moving and creating opportunities, capitalizing on the home team’s low energy.
By the time Pitt found its next gear, the Dragons had already gained momentum, and they never gave it back. Despite a strong third-quarter appearance, the Panthers fell victim to an upset 68-60 in their home opener at the Petersen Events Center.
Panthers lack grit and aggression early
Pitt put up just 14 points in the first quarter, even with contributions from six different players. The offense lacked fast on-ball and off-ball movement, with little flow, often settling for pressured jumpers instead of high-quality looks. Drexel’s defense forced long possessions and limited Pitt’s rebound opportunities.
The Dragons outscored the Panthers 18-13 in the second quarter, gaining a 30-27 first-half lead, forcing Pitt to rethink its game strategy. By halftime, Drexel was the more aggressive team, controlling the pace and rebounding. Pitt struggled to create opportunities for itself, remaining stagnant. It was clear Drexel wanted it more, hustling for every basketball and possession.
The third-quarter flicker
After halftime, the Panthers finally started to get going. Redshirt junior guard Mikayla Johnson jump-started a 22-point third quarter with confident shooting and aggressive, satisfying drives, while senior guard Angel Jones finally used her speed to push transitions, creating fast breaks and challenging Drexel. Pitt shot 58.8% in the third and entered the fourth tied 49-49, their best run of the night.
But the spark didn’t last. The final 10 minutes felt like deja vu — slow, static and lacking urgency. The Panthers shot just 25% in the fourth quarter, while Drexel’s junior guard Laine McGurk got hot with a late three-pointer and a streak of free throws to seal the game. The Dragons finished on a consecutive scoring run as Pitt went scoreless in the final minute. Johnson stands out
Regardless of the outcome, Johnson impressed most, leading the offense. The junior guard accumulated a team-high 19 points — including three three-pointers — and helped keep Pitt pushing whenever Drexel tried to make a run. Jones had 10 points in her Panther debut, while redshirt-junior forward Fatima Diakhate put up seven points and a team-leading eight rebounds. Redshirt sophomore forward Lauren Rust made four points coming off the bench, adding energy and aggression to the Panthers’ lineup. Tuesday marked an early milestone for the Panthers, with several players making their first starts and collegiate debuts. Johnson, Jones and Diakhate each earned their first starts for Pitt while first-year guards Jayda Queeley and Megan Hollingsworth announced their arrival to Division I Basketball.
Execution and rebounding create concern
Relentless effort beats talent, and defense takes home championships. Corny, but true. Lacking these golden attributes can be proven costly even for the most highly ranked conferences. Rebounding on Tuesday was a result of the lack of aggression and hunger. Drexel out-rebounded Pitt 44-38 and capitalized on these 50/50 balls.
The Panthers had 13 offensive rebounds but couldn’t convert them consistently into scoring opportunities. Both teams matched baskets for the majority of the second half. The game consisted of ten lead changes and five ties, but Drexel’s performance in the last minutes made the difference.
Pitt is a team still learning new systems and finding cohesiveness under head coach Tory Verdi, so the inconsistency wasn’t surprising. First games often bring nerves and mistakes, especially for players newly stepping on the court as Panthers. But with ACC games ahead, Pitt will need to find that next gear faster, with more aggression and urgency, creating more high-quality opportunities.
Talent to build from
Even with the loss, Pitt showed a lot of talent and raw athleticism. The third-quarter run displayed the variety of options when the offense is working together and the defense pushes transitions. Johnson’s drives were textbook-perfect and dominant when she had the opportunity, Jones set a fire under Pitt with her incredible quickness and constant movement, and Diakhate’s rebounding offered second opportunities. These capabilities need to be shown from the start, not when they finally get warm.
The Panthers will make their second appearance Saturday afternoon against Mount St. Mary’s at the Petersen Event Center. Fingers crossed that the Panthers will start the way they played in the third quarter — cohesive, fast and confident. Pitt could turn this loss into a lesson, demonstrating growth that could last all season.