Pitt becomes victim No. 57

The Pitt women’s basketball team was dominated on the boards at both ends of the floor by a… The Pitt women’s basketball team was dominated on the boards at both ends of the floor by a bigger and more physical team, No. 2 Connecticut Huskies, in its 76-55 loss.

The Panthers inability to crash the boards resulted in only 20 points in the first half. Many times a shot would be attempted and an UConn player would come down with the ball uncontested. The Huskies outrebounded Pitt in the game, 56-21.

“They didn’t get many second shot,” Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma said. “If you are an outside shooting team like they are you got to make them or you have to figure out a way to get offensive rebounds.”

UConn’s physical play on defense also caused problems for the Panthers. The Huskies’ starting lineup consists of four players who are six feet or taller. The only UConn starter under six feet is guard Maria Conlon, at five-feet, nine-inches.

“They just were so much bigger and stronger,” Pitt head coach Traci Waites said. “I’m actually speechless to be very honest with you.”

With 18 minutes, 45 seconds left in the first half was the one and only time other than at the beginning that the game would be even.

The Huskies’ went on two consecutive 8-2 runs. Down 18-6, Mandy Wittenmyer made a layup, which was followed by a 10-2 run by UConn, putting them ahead 28-10. The three runs were aided by Pitt’s inability to pull down any rebounds and several errant passes that resulted in turnovers.

At the end of the first half, the Panthers had been outrebounded 32-11.

UConn had many opportunities to rebound in the first half as Pitt shot just seven-of-25 from the field and was one for nine from three-point range. The Huskies scored 18 points off of second chance shots in the game with nine coming in each half.

“They just did a great job on the boards. They actually exploited the one area that we were definitely weak in,” Waites said.

“They missed a lot of shots,” Auriemma said of Pitt’s first-half shooting. “They are a pretty good three point shooting team and then they got some open shots and they didn’t make them.”

The Huskies scored 15 points off turnovers in the game with 11 of them coming in the first half. UConn actually had 10 turnovers in the first half compared to Pitt’s nine. The difference was that the Pitt only scored two points off the Huskies’ turnovers.

“I don’t know if it was so much that they took away, we just didn’t knock down shots early.” Waites said. “Yeah we got killed on the boards and that hurts your confidence when you go back down on defense.”

The Panthers went into the locker room at the half down, 39-20. In the second half, the Panthers were more efficient in shooting from the field as they connected on 14-of-24 shots. Pitt was one for five from three-point range in the second half, which made it two for 14 for the game.

“In the second half it was 35 to 37,” Waites said. “We played close in the second half. I don’t know if they let up.”