2016 ACC WBB Tournament: Pitt hands Tar Heels earliest exit in six years

Brian Rapp, Triangle Sports Network

Brian Rapp – TSN Correspondent

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 12th-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers broke a two-year string of first-round losses in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Women’s Basketball Tournament Wednesday, outlasting 13th-seeded North Carolina 82-72 in overtime to send the Tar Heels to their earliest exit since 2010.

Brenna Wise, the Panthers’ ACC All-Freshman Team forward, tallied a game-high 25 points, the last four on free throws in the extra period, as Pitt overcame a game-tying three-point heave from Heels sophomore guard Jamie Cherry at the buzzer to tie the game at the end of regulation, 67-67.

Wise was one of four Pitt players to hit double figures, followed by sophomore guard Aysia Bugg (20 points), sophomore center Stasha Carey (15) and sophomore forward Yacine Diop (14).

Diop (12 rebounds), Carey (10) and Wise (10) helped Pitt to a 52-45 edge on the boards, but it was the Panthers’ 22-8 advantage at the foul line that proved decisive in earning their first ACC Tournament win since joining the conference in 2013.

“Going into the overtime, the team had two ways to respond,” Pitt coach Suzie McConnell-Serio remarked.

“North Carolina could have had all the momentum, but we came out, went on a 7-0 run and gained confidence right from the very beginning. I’m just so proud of the way they battled.”

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The Tar Heels trailed for all but 9:04 of the game as Pitt built a 41-33 lead at the half, outscoring UNC 17-2 during the final 5:21 of the second quarter.

The Panthers stretched the gap to 10, 46-36, with 4:07 left in the
third frame before North Carolina freshman guards Stephanie Watts and Destinee Walker combined for nine of the Heels’ next 11 points to knot the game at 47 entering the fourth period.

Two Wise free throws with 15 seconds left in regulation – after four consecutive Tar Heels fouls with the clock stopped to get the Panthers into the bonus – gave Pitt a seemingly secure 67-64 lead, especially after Walker missed a three-point attempt with the clock running down.

But after a long rebound that gave UNC possession again, Walker, splitting two Pitt defenders, found Cherry near midcourt, and her 30-footer with 0.1 left on the clock sent the game into overtime.

The Panthers’ Carey opened the extra frame with the team’s eighth trey of the contest (in 21 attempts; North Carolina was 6 of 24 from long range), and made all six of their free throws (22 of 25 for the game) to end UNC’s season at 14-18 overall – the Tar Heels first losing campaign since finishing 13-14 in 1995-96.

Watts, one of four returning starters for UNC next season, led with 20 points and seven of her team’s 45 rebounds.

Cherry added 18 points and Walker contributed 12, while junior forward Hillary Summers added four before fouling out in the overtime.

Pitt shot 39 percent (26 of 67) for the game to UNC’s 35 percent (29 of 84).

The Panthers committed 17 turnovers to the Heels 13, while North Carolina tallied just four points off of fast breaks.

“We battled hard,” Tar Heels coach Sylvia Hatchell commented afterward.

“I don’t know how much more we could have gotten out of these kids. We’re pretty thin – we haven’t had a walk-on since 2004 (UNC had five this year). I was proud of the way these kids fought today, and I think that’s an indication of good things to come.”

Watts, who led the Heels in scoring this season, averaging 14.5 points per game, was named the ACC Rookie of the Year earlier in the day.

“Character is what comes through when people aren’t looking, and these kids showed a lot of character and toughess,” Hatchell concluded.

“Adversity makes you tougher, and these kids have faced a lot…and they’ll be tougher for it.”