It was a rare opportunity for the Pitt women’s basketball team. Thursday night brought the… It was a rare opportunity for the Pitt women’s basketball team. Thursday night brought the Panthers a chance to knock off a top-flight program, win a rivalry game at home and play a game on national television, all at once.

And while the team may have come up just short, it certainly represented itself well for the viewers.

The Panthers gave perennial powerhouse Penn State all they could handle before finally falling to the Nittany Lions, 84-79 in overtime. All-American candidate Tanisha Wright led all scorers with 32 points for PSU (4-3), including eight in the overtime period.

Pitt (6-3) countered Wright’s magnificent play with a balanced scoring attack and tough rebounding, the result of which saw three Panthers finishing with double-doubles.

Vika Sholokhova led Pitt with 18 points and 14 rebounds, followed by Cheron Taylor’s 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Jennifer Brown’s 11 points and 10 rebounds. Amy Kunich fell just short on all three dimensions of a triple-double, ending with nine points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.

“I’m really proud of the team,” Pitt coach Agnus Berenato said. “I’ve got three players with double-doubles. It’s really exciting that we’re not intimidated by a team like Penn State.”

Berenato was full of praise not just for her own team’s play, but for the performance of Wright, whose ability to penetrate and create shots tormented the Panthers all night.

“She’s a great player, and great players step up,” Berenato said, “She’s an All-American, and we don’t even have any all-conference players.”

The play was physical from the opening tip, the result of which was 52 total fouls and four players fouling out of the game.

“Our game plan was to go inside and to attack,” Berenato said.

“Coach told me to stop taking jumpers and just take it to them, I knew I had rebounders on the other side,” Taylor said, reiterating the team’s attacking game plan.

That game plan worked all night for Pitt, and the Panthers were able to play the game close all the way — the game featured 10 lead changes and 14 ties — but it was a late run of free throws that was the Panthers’ undoing.

Leading 70-64, with 3:07 to play in regulation, Pitt fouled Penn State’s Ashli Schwab while she was making a layup. Schwab converted the three-point play, cutting the lead to three. Schwab converted two more free throws to cut the lead to one on the Lions’ next possession.

With the lead cut to one, Sholokhova missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Penn State took the lead on a Jenni Harris layup. Sholokhova answered with an offensive rebound and put-back of her own, making the score 72-71 with 1:30 to play.

After each team came up empty on its next possession, a foul by Jennifer Brown on a rebound put Penn State’s Amanda Brown at the line for two shots. Brown made the first but missed the second, tying the game at 72.

Pitt had one last chance in regulation, but Kunich’s driving attempt failed, and she was unable to convert off the ensuing inbound play with 1.8 seconds on the clock.

Penn State took over in the extra period. Jess Strom picked off a pass and took it the length of the court to open the scoring, and Jenni Harris added a long jumper to quickly make the score 76-72. Pitt tried to hang close, but eventually was forced to foul. Wright scored the final eight Penn State points on a leaning two-point shot over Histed and six free throws in eight overtime attempts.

“We’re very fortunate to get out with a win,” Penn State coach Rene Portland said. “This game was extremely physical, and we learned a lesson today.”

Amanda Brown ended with the lone double-double for the Lions, recording 11 points — second only to Wright’s 32 — and 10 rebounds.

The Panthers will travel to St. Francis (N.Y.), Fordham and Syracuse over the holiday break. They will also host St. John’s on Jan. 4.

Following the Penn State game, Pitt traveled to Clemson on Saturday and lost its third consecutive game, 51-38.