Pitt looks to rope Cowboys in tourney opener

The Pitt women’s basketball team treks to Albuquerque, N.M., as a school-record No. 6 seed to… The Pitt women’s basketball team treks to Albuquerque, N.M., as a school-record No. 6 seed to play its first NCAA Tournament game away from the Petersen Events Center when it takes on the No. 11-seeded Wyoming Cowgirls at 4 p.m. Saturday at “The Pit” on the campus of the University of New Mexico.

The Panthers (22-10) are dancing for the second time in school history and for the second year in a row.

Last year, the Panthers rolled into their first Tournament appearance, winning eight of their last 10 games, all against Big East opponents.

As the No. 8 seed, Pitt won its first-round game against No. 9-seeded James Madison. But receiving a No. 8 seed meant Pitt had to face Candace Parker and the eventual national champion Tennessee Lady Volunteers. Pitt lost on its home court, bringing an end to its season.

Pitt coach Agnus Berenato said she did not think her team realized the full magnitude of playing in the NCAA Tournament while playing at home.

“We didn’t have to pack or board a plane or anything, so it might not have hit them so hard that we were playing in the Tournament,” Berenato said.

Berenato was thrilled when discussing the excitement of March and Tournament time.

“I think the team is very excited and really anxious to get on a plane and get out of here,” Berenato said. “I don’t think anyone on the team or the staff has been there [New Mexico] before. It’s completely different from last year, you have to pack everything but the kitchen sink.”

When asked about the matchup and seeding, Berenato said, “I think a sixth seed is terrific. You have to play someone strong, and you have to travel somewhere, so it’s all good for us.”

The Cowgirls (24-6) hail from the Mountain West Conference and were ranked in the top 25 throughout the season. The Cowgirls notched a 12-4 conference record and demonstrated their ability to knock off power-conference opponents with a home win against No. 16-ranked Kansas State and road wins against Wisconsin and Iowa.

The Cowgirls beat opponents with their air-tight defense, ball-control offense and solid free-throw shooting. They lead the MWC, holding opponents to just 53.1 points per game and averaging 5.13 blocks per game. They also lead their conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.17), are second in assists per game, averaging 15.17, and only average 13 turnovers per game. The Cowgirls also average an impressive 6.93 3-pointers made per game.

The stats illustrate a well-rounded team built on defense and discipline, but Berenato knows the Panthers are prepared for the Cowgirls’ system.

“I know they’re a very disciplined team, they run a motion offense like Villanova, who we beat earlier this year,” she said.

“They have a really good, aggressive defense, so we have to face aggression with aggression,” Berenato added. “But we faced two of the best defensive teams in the nation already, Rutgers and Connecticut.”

The telling stat could be rebound totals. Pitt averages 42 rebounds per game compared to 34.9 to Wyoming.

Berenato knows intangibles, too, will be Pitt’s keys to success against Wyoming and throughout the Tournament.

“We have to stick to our bread and butter,” she said. “We need a good inside-outside game, we need to box out, rebound well and make free throws.”