Pitt drops close game to Hawks

Erika Messam was perfect from the field, scoring 17 points in helping Hartford defeat Pitt… Erika Messam was perfect from the field, scoring 17 points in helping Hartford defeat Pitt 60-54 on Saturday at the Petersen Events Center.

Messam, Hartford’s sophomore shooting guard, made all seven of her shots and was the only Hawks’ starter to shoot more than 50 percent in a game that saw both teams suffer shooting woes.

Forward LaToya Kincaid led the Panthers (1-3) with 13 points, making five of nine shots from the field, and grabbed seven rebounds in 37 minutes. Guard Amy Kunich added nine points to go along with six rebounds and six assists, but turned the ball over five times and made just two of nine shots from the field.

The Panthers shot just 37 percent from the field and were called for 27 personal fouls, while the Hawks (5-1) were whistled for just 13. Hartford capitalized on its opportunities from the free throw line in the second half, shooting 77 percent from the charity stripe.

Pitt started off the game with a 10-2 run, powered by the inside duo of Kincaid and center Jennifer Brown, who was making her first start of the year in place of Allisha Morris.

After Hartford called a thirty-second timeout, the Hawks slowly climbed back into the game, tying the score at 21 with 4:16 left in the first half. Hartford grabbed its first lead with about three minutes left in the half, following a layup by forward Danielle Matulis.

Following a layup by forward Cheron Taylor, Pitt took a 27-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The teams battled back and forth during the second half, with five ties and seven lead changes.

Kincaid put Pitt up by two on a jump shot with 5:32 left in the game, but the lead was short-lived. After free throws by guard Ikea Witt and Matulis gave Hartford a 50-48 lead, forward Shelia Stufflet tied the game with a two-point basket off of an assist from Kunich with 3:10 left.

But that was as close as Pitt would come to its second win of the year. The Hawks scored nine of the game’s next eight points to take a seven-point lead with 25 seconds left.

Pitt cut the lead to four on a three by Kunich, and guard Bridget Murray and Witt each made a free throw to finish out the scoring.

The Panthers return to action on Dec. 14 when they travel to State College, Pa., to face Penn State.