Pitt completely fries Friars

Minutes before Monday night’s women’s basketball game between Pitt and Providence, Panther… Minutes before Monday night’s women’s basketball game between Pitt and Providence, Panther head coach Agnus Berenato quietly told sophomore Danielle Taylor that she was going to have a great game. Taylor agreed and, throughout the next 40 minutes, she proved Berenato’s hunch to be true.

Taylor scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her first career double-double as the Panthers (13-14 overall, 5-11 Big East) crushed the Friars (1-26, 0-16), 80-43, on the road. The sophomore forward hit eight of 13 shots from the field and added four steals in her 29 minutes on the court.

“Danielle just scored, and our goal was for her to take it to the hole because she is someone who can make free throws,” Berenato said following the game. “We just kept her in, and she did a great job on defense, as well.”

It was the second time in 10 days that the Panthers beat the Friars, but this time they did it as a team and without their leading scorer. Big East Rookie of the Year candidate Marcedes Walker did not make the trip with the team and has been deemed out for the season with a right shoulder injury. It didn’t slow the Panthers, as Taylor was one of three players with double-doubles, joining Cheron Taylor (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Jennifer Brown (14 points, 12 rebounds) and making Berenato ecstatic with the total team’s play.

“Four players in double figures and three players with double-doubles. It was just a phenomenal team effort,” Berenato said.

Despite trailing with less than eight minutes to go in the first half, the Panthers turned it on with a 15-2 run to end the first half and go to the locker room with a 10-point lead. In the second half, the Panthers capitalized on their momentum, sprinting out on a 20-5 run, burying the Friars.

Poor and inconsistent shooting has followed the Panthers all season long, but on Monday night, the Panthers found their stroke, shooting 48 percent from the field, including 61 percent in the second half. Senior Jessica Allen led the shooting charge, hitting four 3-pointers to finish with 14 points.

“Our game plan going in was to play great defense, to get some steals and score in transition,” Berenato said. “That was our whole goal, get the ball and go score. If you can score inside, it opens stuff outside for your guards.”

For only the fourth time this season, the Panthers finished with more assists (20) than turnovers (11), and the 37-point victory margin was the Panthers’ largest in the conference in more than 20 years.

“After the game I just told the team, ‘This is the team we are going to the Big East [tournament] with, and you should have a lot of confidence,'” said Berenato.

Providence was led by Kristein Brown, who had a double-double of her own with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The win was the Panthers’ fifth in Big East play, putting them in position for either a 10 or 11 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. It also marked win number 11 on the road for the Panthers, who have won just two games at home. Good news for the Panthers, who will open the conference tournament Saturday night at the Hartford Civic Center in Connecticut.

“I really feel we play well on the road. We have been much more successful because we are focused,” Berenato said. “I feel very good about going into the tournament.”