Panthers win two, claim tournament title to open season

For the second straight season, the Pitt women’s basketball team opened its season on the… For the second straight season, the Pitt women’s basketball team opened its season on the road. While the faces were different – Pitt’s three leaders in minutes played from last season are gone – the results were the same.

With victories over William ‘ Mary Friday and Vermont Saturday, Pitt returned home champions of the TD Banknorth Classic played in Burlington, Vt.

In both games, the Panthers used a starting lineup that included three new players – freshmen Maddy Brown and Xenia Stewart and junior transfer Mallorie Winn. “I was really pleased with the way the team responded,” head coach Agnus Berenato said. “Especially with our youth, and that would be the whole team, because we are so young.”

Sophomore Marcedes Walker was also in the starting lineup for each game, while sophomore Karlyle Lim, freshman Sylvie Tafen and Shavonte Zellous got minutes.

“Maddy, [Stewart] and Shavonte aren’t playing like freshmen,” Berenato said. “They are playing like they have more experience than freshmen.”

Pitt 70, Vermont 49

In the championship game, Pitt opened a 34-18 lead by halftime with 12 points from Winn.

“Vermont had a great crowd. They were an extremely rowdy, boisterous crowd,” Berenato said. “I felt like we took the crowd out of the game in the very beginning.”

Vermont opened the second half on a 15-6 run.

“The second half we let the crowd get back in,” she said. “We were leading by 17 and they got within seven. The crowd went nuts, but that’s when Mallorie Winn took over.”

Winn finished with a game high 18 points, along with five assists and five rebounds.

“Vermont pressed us and we were fine,” Berenato said. “I have guards this year. Mallorie Winn is tall, she is big and lean. You can trap her but she can look over you. She doesn’t rattle, she doesn’t fluster.”

Pitt’s second-half surge was largely because of the Panthers’ ability to take advantage of their trips to the free-throw line. Pitt shot 24 free throws in the second half and was making them – senior Cheron Taylor was a perfect 6-for-6 in the game.

Pitt 76, William ‘ Mary 49

Eleven first-half fouls forced Pitt into a zone defense, but the Panthers were able to turn an early 13-11 deficit into a 38-30 halftime lead in their semi-final match.

“We felt like with the zone we got stagnant,” Berenato said. “In the second half I made the decision to just forget the fouls. I decided we are going to go full man to man; we are going to really turn up the heat and pressure them.

“We were able to get a couple quick steals and quick scores,” she said. “We were up by eight at halftime, and then we just ran away with it.”

Pitt closed the game with a 15-3 run over the last 6:39.

Walker dominated in the paint with all 10 of her field goals coming on layups. The remaining six points of her game-high 26 came from the free-throw line.

“My coaches said keep pounding it inside,” Walker said, “and if I go up strong, maybe I’ll get an and-one, or a foul called.”

The Panthers welcome Akron to the Pete tonight before playing host to the Pitt Thanksgiving Classic this weekend with games against Towson (1-0) and Missouri (1-2) Saturday and Sunday, respectively.