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Box Score Jan. 22, 2017

Final Stats

Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (13-6, 2-4 ACC) fell 62-54 at Pitt (12-7, 3-3 ACC) on Sunday (Jan. 22) at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Virginia trailed 39-38 entering the fourth quarter, but went on a 6-0 run to start the final period, building up a 49-43 lead on a three-pointer from senior guard Breyana Mason (Woodbridge, Va.) with 5:30 remaining. The Panthers heated up from beyond the arc, going 4-of-5 from three-point range to take a 55-51 lead with just over two minutes remaining. The Panthers sealed the victory with Brenna Wise making five free throws in the final 21 seconds.

Wise finished the game with 26 points, 14 of those coming in the fourth quarter. Wise was 6-of-11 shooting, including going 3-of-5 from three-point range, and 11-of-11 from the free throw line.

Junior guard J’Kyra Brown (Rocky Mount, N.C.) came off the bench to lead the Cavaliers in scoring and rebounding with 10 points and six rebounds.

“We went up by six, but came down the court and took incredibly quick shots,” said Virginia head coach Joanne Boyle. “They were bad shots. Then we turned the ball over on a possession and gave them layups out of it. At that point, you have to foul to get back into it. I thought we didn’t manage the clock well down the stretch. At times, I thought they were picking us apart with their high-low game. We tried to back off that, but then left them too open. J’Kyra Brown stepped up and hit some big shots for us, going 3-of-5 from the three-point line. We need to put complete games together more consistently.”

Freshman guard Jocelyn Willoughby (East Orange, N.J.) opened the game with a jumper 20 seconds into the contest, but the Cavaliers would miss their next seven field goal attempts. Pitt also struggled in the onset, starting the game 1-of-9 from the field. Brown ended a 5:37 UVA scoring drought by hitting three-pointers in back-to-back possessions. A layup from freshman center Felicia Aiyeotan (Lagos, Nigeria) gave UVA a 10-5 advantage, its largest lead of the game, but Pitt went on a 7-0 run before a jumper from freshman guard Dominique Toussaint (Staten Island, N.Y.) in the waning seconds tied the game at 12 at the end of the quarter.

The Panthers made four of their first six field goal attempts in the second quarter. Brown hit her third trey of the game to end Pitt’s 8-1 run. The Panthers also ended the period strong, making their final four field goal attempts, including a layup from Jasmine Whitney at the buzzer to go into the break with a 29-22 lead. The Cavaliers were 5-of-7 from three-point range in the first half, including sophomore Moné Jones (Durham, N.C.) hitting one with 24.6 seconds remaining, but just 3-of-17 from inside the arc.

Virginia scored the first six points of the third quarter, with a layup from junior forward Lauren Moses (Mount Holly, N.J.) flanked by two sets of free throws pulling UVA to within one, 29-28. The Cavaliers again got to within a point, 33-32, on a layup from Willoughby with 5:41 remaining. Virginia completed the comeback and took a 38-37 lead after Toussaint kicked the ball out to junior guard Aliyah Huland El (Randolph, N.J.) on the wing for a three-pointer with 1:05 left in the quarter. Jasmine Whitney hit a jumper for Pitt with 22 seconds remaining to give the Panthers a 39-38 lead. Pitt went just 2-of-10 from the field in the quarter, but were 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Virginia took a three-point lead, 42-39, at the start of the fourth quarter after a long jumper from Willoughby followed by a steal and a fast-break layup from Huland El. A layup from Mason completed a 6-0 run for the Cavaliers. A three-pointer from Mason with 5:23 remaining gave UVA a six-point lead, 49-43, but back-to-back threes from Wise knotted it up with 3:25 remaining. The Panthers’ Alayna Gribble hit their fourth trey of the quarter to push Pitt out to a 55-51 advantage heading into the final two minutes. Wise was fouled on a three-point attempt, converting all three free throws to put Pitt up 60-54 with 21 seconds remaining. Huland El took a three-point shot from the corner that was just off the mark. Pitt grabbed the rebound and advanced the ball to the opposite end. A quick foul sent Wise back to the line where she added the final two points for the Panthers.

Pitt leads the all-time series, 5-2, including winning all four meetings between the two teams as conference opponents.

Virginia returns to John Paul Jones Arena to host Virginia Tech on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.

Single-game ticket prices for all home games are $10 for Reserved seating, $8 for adult General Admission and $6 for youth (18 & under), senior (60 & over) and UVA faculty/staff General Admission. Fans may purchase home game tickets through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office online at VirginiaSports.com, by phone and in person. The Virginia Athletics Ticket Office is located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).

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