Women’s Basketball: Scoring spread out through first eight games

Sims Returns

Perhaps the most important development for Pitt women’s basketball this season… Sims Returns

Perhaps the most important development for Pitt women’s basketball this season is the return of point guard Jania Sims, who suffered a season-ending injury in the Panthers first game last season.

Head coach Agnus Berenato said Sims’ return is invaluable to the Pitt squad and that by the time she is a senior, Sims will be one of the best point guards in the country.

“It’s fine to have four coaches on the bench, but we can’t set the tempo of the game from the bench,” Berenato said. “She sets the tempo of the game with her good decisions. She means everything to us.”

Sims is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13 points per game. Most importantly, however, she gets her teammates involved with 5.3 assists per game, placing her third in the Big East.

Sims knows where her teammates are supposed to be on the floor, Berenato said, so she can give instructions if necessary.

She was named most valuable player of Pitt’s Thanksgiving tournament after scoring 30 points and dishing out 10 assists in two games.

Teammate Shayla Scott said the team counts on Sims to calm them down when necessary.

“[Jania] makes you feel comfortable and relaxed when we play with her,” Scott said. “This will make us better than last year, because we know our point guard is back.”

Climbing up the Rankings

The Panthers reached their second-highest ranking ever this week, climbing to No. 15 in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls.

Last year, Pitt held the No. 14 ranking in the AP poll later in the season.

The Panthers started the season unranked in the AP Poll and ranked No. 22 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll.

The Panthers are one of five Big East teams ranked in the polls. Connecticut is the consensus No. 1 in both polls, while Notre Dame falls in the top five in both.

DePaul is ranked as high as No. 23, while Louisville is ranked as high as No. 25.

Berenato said that starting the season ranked is a huge step for the program and a place it hasn’t been before.

“I feel as if we have a huge target on our backs,” Berenato said. “We’ve been ranked in the ESPN/USA Today and AP polls the last two years. We ended up ranked, but not until January or February.”

Balanced Scoring

The Panthers currently have three players averaging in double figures.

Taneisha Harrison leads the squad with 16.1 points per game, followed by Sims with 13.0, then Scott with 11.5.

Chelsea Cole is close to being the fourth Panther to average double figures, with 9.4 points per game and nine rebounds.

The balanced attack makes it difficult for teams to focus on one player. When Harrison struggled in Pitt’s 63-56 victory over Appalachian State, Sims and Scott stepped up with 16 and 17 points, respectively.

Cole scored a double-double in the Thanksgiving tournament win over Marshall with 11 points and 11 rebounds, factoring into her selection to the All-Tournament team along with Sims and Scott.

In Pitt’s victory over Western Michigan, Harrison, Sims, Cole and Scott all reached double digits. Shawnice “Pepper” Wilson also reached double figures after shooting 5-of-5 from the field.

Record Setters

Harrison and Cole both set career records in Pitt’s last game, a 77-52 victory over Valparaiso.

Harrison scored 17 points in the first half and 27 total on 11-for-22 shooting from the field, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.

She is currently seventh in the Big East for scoring average.

Cole grabbed 15 rebounds for the Panthers, with eight offensive — a new career high. She is fourth in the Big East in rebounds per game. She also scored six points in the contest.

“Chelsea is just coming into her own and is becoming an explosive athlete,” Berenato said. “She’s capable of 15 rebounds and more.”