PITTSBURGH – Sophomore
Brittany Robinson (Harrisburg, Pa. /Central Dauphin East) scored a team-high 13 points as the Crimson Hawks dropped a 72-40 decision to Pitt at the Petersen Events Center on Sunday afternoon in their final tune-up before they open the 2016-17 season.
Robinson connected on 6-of-8 shots from the floor and added two steals, two rebounds and one block. Classmate
Carolyn Appleby (Greensburg, Pa. /Greensburg Central Catholic) totaled nine points, six rebounds and two steals. Freshman
Alexiss Griggs (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy) added seven points, three rebounds, one block and one steal.
The opening two and a half minutes of the game saw IUP trail Pitt 5-4 after a layup from
Maura D'Anna (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) at the 7:35-mark. The Panthers pushed the lead to 14-8 after a three-pointer from Kauai Bradley midway through the quarter before taking a 22-10 first quarter lead.
The Crimson Hawks used two quick baskets in the opening minute of the second quarter from Robinson to pull to within 22-14. Both teams then went nearly four minutes without baskets before a jumper from
Halle Denman (Beaver Falls, Pa. /Blackhawk) cut the Pitt lead to 26-16 at the 4:09-mark. The Panthers then took a 32-20 halftime lead after Jasmine Whitney converted a traditional three-point play.
In the third quarter Appleby connected on a three-pointer to pull IUP to within 32-25 at the 8:28-mark. Minutes later Griggs cut the Pitt lead to 36-28 after she converted a three-point play with off a fast break layup. The Panthers responded with a 9-4 run to push their lead to 45-32 at the 2:03-mark.
Pitt extended the lead to 54-32 after a jumper from Jasmine early in the fourth quarter and then used a 10-3 run to race out to a 64-35 lead on a three-pointer from Alayna Gribble with 5:04 to play. A jumper from Robinson and then a three-pointer from Courtney Storm rounded out the scoring for the Crimson Hawks.
The Panthers shot 44.4 percent (28-of-63) from the floor while the Crimson Hawks shot at a 35.3 percent (18-of-51) clip. Pitt outrebounded IUP by a 44-28 margin.
IUP begins the 2016-17 season at the Wolf's Bus Lines Classic, hosted by Shippensburg on November 11-12.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.
