BALTIMORE - The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford women's basketball team (3-1) got right back on track with a 73-68 victory over 16th-ranked, Catholic University (1-3), Sunday afternoon in the third place game of the Johns Hopkins Tournament.
"Everyone stepped up in a game that was nip and tuck throughout the whole second half," said Pitt-Bradford head coach Sean Brown Sr. "Abby, Kaserra, Ali, and Darien all hit huge shots for us down the stretch, and Kennedy Cratty provided some much needed muscle off of the bench to help us take home a victory against a very good team."
Abby Brate was named to the all-tournament team following another outstanding game, posting 21 points, six steals and three boards while Ali Rinfrette bounced right back with 21 points and six rebounds. Darien Lantz added 13 points and Kaserra Owens rounded out the Panthers scoring double figures with 10 points and team-high eight rebounds – just missing her second double-double of the season in the victory.
Pitt-Bradford shot nearly 40 percent from the field (25-68) and 38 percent from beyond the arc (9-24) while holding the Cardinals to 27 percent from the field (20-73) and 28 percent from long range (8-29). The Panthers also capitalized off of Cardinal miscues, scoring 17 points off of turnovers.
Pitt-Bradford got off to a hot start, as Brate and Lantz led the Panthers to a 21-13 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
Catholic answered with a strong second quarter, cutting the Panther's lead to 33-29 at the end of the first half.
The Cardinals success continued, as they took their first lead of the game at 35-33 early in the third quarter.
Brate then dominated the remainder of the back and forth third quarter, giving UPB the lead back on the three separate occasions and allowing the Panthers to hold a slim 50-49 advantage at the end of the third quarter.
Catholic fought back, tying the game twice in the early minutes of the fourth quarter, but the Panthers stymied any hopes of a comeback by closing the game on a 16-9 run, beginning with an Owen's three point play with the game tied at 57-57 with just under five minutes to play.
The Pitt-Bradford women's basketball team has a quick turnaround as they host Houghton College, Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the KOA Arena before heading home for Thanksgiving.
*Photo by Erika Helo for UPB Athletics*
