MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Nov. 11, 2023) – The West Virginia University women's basketball team defeated Pitt, 71-62, on Saturday afternoon inside the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh. The win marks the sixth straight win in the Backyard Brawl and the first since the last meeting in 2018.
The Mountaineers used a stifling defensive effort that forced the Panthers into 28 turnovers. The high intensity defense resulted in 18 steals for WVU and equated to 22 points off turnovers. The 18 steals are the highest by a WVU team since its season opener against USC Upstate (20) last season.
West Virginia forced Pitt guard Marley Washenitz into 12 turnovers, the most by a single opposing player in a game since WVU forced Noelle Chiodo of Robert Morris into 16 in 1992.
Redshirt junior guard Kyah Watson produced her second career double-double, scoring career highs in both points and rebounds. Watson knocked down 19 points and corralled 12 boards, marking the third time in her career she has reached the mark on the glass.
Sophomore point guard Jordan Harrison filled the stat sheet with 10 assists, seven steals and six rebounds, all while just committing three turnovers. Her stat line marks the third time in program history that a player has reached the marks, and the first since Yolanda Page in 2004.
Fifth-year senior guard Lauren Fields led West Virginia in scoring with 23 points. She added three steals and two assists. Fields finished the contest 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Junior guard JJ Quinerly recorded 18 points while also adding three steals.
West Virginia won the opening tip and raced out to an 11-4 lead across the opening two minutes. The Panthers were forced to call a timeout, which worked, as they managed a 10-5 run to pull within two with under four to play. WVU closed the quarter on a 7-2 run, with the help of five Panther turnovers, to pull away for the second time.
WVU led by as many as 19 in the second quarter at 35-16, not allowing Pitt to score until the 5:30 mark. West Virginia scored just four points over the final six minutes of action to take a 39-29 lead into halftime.
The Panthers opened the second half with an 11-0 scoring run, taking their only lead of the contest at 40-39. Two straight Fields 3’s got the Mountaineers back on track, extending its lead to as many as nine in the quarter.
Leading 54-47 with 10 minutes to play, the Mountaineers weathered the Panthers comeback push. The WVU defense kept the Panthers more than five points in the final frame, on the way to a 71-62 victory.
Of note, the Mountaineers are now 29-19 all-time in the Backyard Brawl and 11-12 in contests played at the Petersen Events Center.
Next up, West Virginia returns home to face Youngstown State on Sunday, Nov. 19, inside the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown. The Mountaineers and Penguins are set to tipoff at 4 p.m. ET.
The Mountaineers used a stifling defensive effort that forced the Panthers into 28 turnovers. The high intensity defense resulted in 18 steals for WVU and equated to 22 points off turnovers. The 18 steals are the highest by a WVU team since its season opener against USC Upstate (20) last season.
West Virginia forced Pitt guard Marley Washenitz into 12 turnovers, the most by a single opposing player in a game since WVU forced Noelle Chiodo of Robert Morris into 16 in 1992.
Redshirt junior guard Kyah Watson produced her second career double-double, scoring career highs in both points and rebounds. Watson knocked down 19 points and corralled 12 boards, marking the third time in her career she has reached the mark on the glass.
Sophomore point guard Jordan Harrison filled the stat sheet with 10 assists, seven steals and six rebounds, all while just committing three turnovers. Her stat line marks the third time in program history that a player has reached the marks, and the first since Yolanda Page in 2004.
Fifth-year senior guard Lauren Fields led West Virginia in scoring with 23 points. She added three steals and two assists. Fields finished the contest 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Junior guard JJ Quinerly recorded 18 points while also adding three steals.
West Virginia won the opening tip and raced out to an 11-4 lead across the opening two minutes. The Panthers were forced to call a timeout, which worked, as they managed a 10-5 run to pull within two with under four to play. WVU closed the quarter on a 7-2 run, with the help of five Panther turnovers, to pull away for the second time.
WVU led by as many as 19 in the second quarter at 35-16, not allowing Pitt to score until the 5:30 mark. West Virginia scored just four points over the final six minutes of action to take a 39-29 lead into halftime.
The Panthers opened the second half with an 11-0 scoring run, taking their only lead of the contest at 40-39. Two straight Fields 3’s got the Mountaineers back on track, extending its lead to as many as nine in the quarter.
Leading 54-47 with 10 minutes to play, the Mountaineers weathered the Panthers comeback push. The WVU defense kept the Panthers more than five points in the final frame, on the way to a 71-62 victory.
Of note, the Mountaineers are now 29-19 all-time in the Backyard Brawl and 11-12 in contests played at the Petersen Events Center.
Next up, West Virginia returns home to face Youngstown State on Sunday, Nov. 19, inside the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown. The Mountaineers and Penguins are set to tipoff at 4 p.m. ET.
