GREENSBURG – The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg women's basketball won its opening game of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference slate, 81-39, over visiting Hilbert College in dominating fashion this afternoon inside Chambers Hall.
It was an all-around team effort for Pitt-Greensburg to help them improve to 5-1 on the season and 1-0 in AMCC play. Hilbert drops to 1-9 and 0-2 in the AMCC. 12 players saw action today for the Bobcats and each one of them scored and pulled down at least one rebound.
The Bobcats put up their most points a quarter this year in the opening frame with a 30 spot and continued the strong start into the second quarter to finish off their highest scoring half of the season with 45 points at the break. They got up 10-0 in the first two minutes and never looked back. The Pitt-Greensburg lead grew to as many as 48 points at 6:00 in the 4th quarter.
Lizzie Penrose was one off a career-high this afternoon, as she led Pitt-Greensburg with 12 points, which included going 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, off the bench. Four of the five starters for the Bobcats scored double digits, Maddie Sitler had 11, while Melina Maietta, Nadege Durand, and Shaquoia McCray had 10 apiece. Sidney McCully rounded out the starters with eight points.
Keira Coleman, Qitarah Hardison, and Alycia Lynch all scored their first points of the season this afternoon.
As a team the Bobcats set multiple season highs in the thrashing of the Hawks. They scored a season best 81 points, on 37-of-76 shooting, which were both season highs as well. Beyond the arc Pitt-Greensburg made a season best six three pointers. They made the extra pass throughout the contest, dishing out their most assists in a game this year, 19. Durand recorded eight assists to lead all players.
Pitt-Greensburg dominated the glass with a +19 rebounding advantage, 50-31, and pulled down 20 offensive boards, which led to 20 second chance points. McCray led the Blue and Gold with 9.
Defensively, the Bobcats held Hilbert to single digits in three of the four quarters. They forced 20 turnovers, Durand and McCully paced the lockdown defense with four steals each.
All five of the Bobcats wins this season have been by double digits, today's 42-point win was the largest of the season.
Pitt-Greensburg will be back in action on Wednesday, when they hit the road for another conference matchup against La Roche University. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 pm from Pittsburgh.
Fans can follow the Bobcats all year long online at PittGreensburgAthletics.com, as well as on Twitter (@upgbobcats), Instagram (@UPG_athletics), and Facebook (@UPGbobcats).
