Posted: Jan 26, 2022
Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford women's basketball team returned to KOA Arena to face Alfred State on Wednesday night, falling to the Pioneers 74-49.
- The Panthers were able to open the scoring after 90 seconds when Hannah Lary was able to pull up and make a mid-range jumper. The Pioneers responded quickly with six straight points, but Lary was able to keep the Panthers within shouting distance, hitting a three to cut the early lead to 1. Daizjah Brown and Alexa Ackerman both made layups to maintain a one-possession deficit, which was erased when Brown hit three from the free-throw line to tie the game at 12. A possession later, Avery Benzel put the Panthers ahead, but it did not last long as the Pioneers made a basket in the final minute of the first to send the game into the second quarter tied at 14.
- Cailey Barnett opened the second with a three from the wing, and Lary scored five quick points to answer an Alfred State three-pointer to give the Panthers a 22-17 lead. After the guests scored five straight of their own, Ashley Hall and Lary made two more from long range on consecutive possessions to give the Panthers a 6 point edge, their biggest of the contest.
- Unfortunately for the Panthers, they were unable to maintain this momentum, as they were held to just three points in the final five minutes of the half. This allowed the Pioneers to erase the lead and take a two-point advantage into the break. The Panthers' lone basket came on another Lary three-pointer.
- Alfred State maintained the momentum as the game moved into the second half, as they outscored the Panthers 28-4 in the third quarter to open up a commanding lead. Barnett made a layup within the first minute of the third and added a jump shot just over one minute later, but the Panthers were unable to score any more points in the period. This allowed the Pioneers to score 19 straight points. giving them a 61-35 lead heading into the 4th.
- The Panthers were able to show some fight in the fourth quarter, as they outscored Alfred State by 1 in the period. Lary broke the scoreless streak 1:15 into the fourth as she drove in the lane and made a layup. They were able to cut the lead back to 20 points with just over 5 minutes to go as they scored five straight on a Hall three-pointer and a Barnett midrange jumper. Cassidy King added a jump shot in the quarter while Daizjah Brown made three free throws and a fast-break layup to finish the game.
Hannah Lary led the Panthers with 18 points. She made four threes, grabbed 4 rebounds, and tallied 5 assists. No other Panthers reached double figures on the night, but Cailey Barnett and Daizjah Brown both finished with 9 points. Cassidy King finished as the Panthers top rebounder, grabbing 10.
The Panthers fall to 2-14 on the season, with an 0-8 record in conference play. They will return to action on Saturday, as they host Penn State-Altoona.