Pitt women survive OT at Rutgers

‘ ‘ ‘ It took overtime to do it, but the Pitt women’s basketball team defeated conference rival… ‘ ‘ ‘ It took overtime to do it, but the Pitt women’s basketball team defeated conference rival Rutgers 61-53 Tuesday night in Piscataway, N.J. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Last year’s game between Pitt and Rutgers ended in a heartbreaking 64-60 loss for the Panthers after senior center Marcedes Walker acquired a game-ending injury early in the first half. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ With last year’s upset in recent memory, Pitt took an early lead with points from Sophronia Sallard and Shavonte Zellous in the opening two minutes of play. Unwilling to give up easily, the Scarlet Knights battled back to tie the game at 10 with 11 minutes remaining in the first half. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Rutgers proceeded to take and maintain the lead for much of the first half, while the Panthers remained within six. A pair of 3-pointers by Pitt guard Taneisha Harrison and one by Zellous allowed Pitt to hold on and lead 25-24 at the half. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The Scarlet Knights reclaimed their territory by outscoring the Panthers 5-0 to start the second half. Zellous hit two jumpers to tie the game at 29, but Rutgers was too much to put away. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Much of the second half was a catch-up game for the Panthers. They finally tied it when Sallard hit a jumper with less than two minutes to play, evening the score at 45. Neither team scored in the final minute, and both teams prepared for overtime. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ With five extra minutes of play, Pitt established control of the game. Pitt and Rutgers exchanged baskets until Pitt took the final lead and never looked back.’ The Panthers outscored the Scarlet Knights 9-2 in the final minutes of overtime, resulting in the first-ever win for Pitt in the Louis Brown Athletic Center. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Prior to the game, the Scarlet Knights led the series 22-2, obtaining their only two losses in the Petersen Events Center. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The No. 23 Panthers will resume Big East action this Sunday in Hartford, Conn., against the No.1-ranked Huskies.