Pitt Women’s Basketball Dealt Blowout vs. West Virginia

PITTSBURGH — Pitt Panthers women’s basketball suffered their first defeat of the season, an 82-54 blowout to rival No. 15 West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl on the road on Nov. 12.

The Panthers (2-1) lose their seventh straight to the Mountaineers (3-0) since 2011, when they both played in the Big East. It also makes it 59 straight losses to a ranked opponent since 2015.

This is the fourth game they’ve played since departing the Big East, with losses at home in 2018 and 2023 and losses on the road this season and in 2017. This also drops Pitt to 7-15 on the road vs. WVU and 18-30 in the all-time series.

Pitt saw one of their best players suffer an early injury in the first minute of the first quarter, as junior guard Amiya Jenkins fell to the ground and grabbing her left knee. Medical staff helped her off the court, but her abscence didn’t help Pitt at all, especially on offense.

The Panthers shot 19-for-58 from the field, 32.8%, and 5-for-22 from 3-point range, 22.7%, as they struggled to break down the Mountaineers’ halfcourt defense.

Pitt also had a tough time dealing with WVU’s press, as they turned the ball over 30 times, leading to 34 points for the home team.

The 30 turnovers Pitt committed is the most since they committed 35 turnovers in an 81-39 defeat to then ranked No. 3 Louisville on the road on Jan. 6, 2022.

The Mountaineers shot poorly themselves, 27-for-68 from the field, 39.7%, and 6-for-30 from behind the arc, 20%.

Both teams shot well from the foul line, with Pitt making 11-of-15 attempts, 73.3%, and West Virginia converting 22-of-27 attempts, 81.5%. The rivalry featured both teams committing more than 20 fouls each, leading to large number of foul shots.

Graduate student center Khadija Faye led the Panthers with her second double-double of the season, 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting and two free throws, plus 12 rebounds before fouling out.

Sophomore forward Lauren Rust had the best game of her Pitt career, scoring 12 points, making a 3-pointer and all three free throws. Senior forward MaKayla Elmore added nine points herself, making a 3-pointer and two foul shots.

Players that struggled for Pitt included guards in redshirt sophomore Mikayla Johnson, who shot 4-for-20 from the field and 1-for-10 from deep and both senior Brooklynn Miles and junior Marley Washenitz, who combined for 0-for-9 from the field and scored zero points.

West Virginia got production from guards in senior JJ Quinerly, who led the way with 17 points, and juniors Jordan Harrison and Sydney Shaw, who scored 14 points and 11 points each, respectively.

Pitt will stay on the road this weekend and look to bounce back as they face Binghamton in Vestal, N.Y. on Nov. 17 with a 1:30 p.m. tip-off.

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