PITTSBURGH – Pitt senior Aysia Bugg matched a career high with 20 points, but it was not enough to overcome timely three-point shooting from Youngstown State in a 64-55 loss at the Petersen Events Center Tuesday evening.
Youngstown State's Alison Smolinski knocked down four three-point field goals in the final 10 minutes of play to hold off the Panthers in the fourth quarter. She finished with 14 points in the quarter and a team-high 20 points for the game.
Smolinski went 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, including 4-of-4 in the fourth quarter, as the Penguins made 10 threes in the contest. Youngstown State posted a +12 margin in scoring from three-point range despite shooting just 32.0 percent from three-point range in the game. The Penguins were 10-of-31 from long range, while Pitt was 6-of-17.
Kalista Walters added 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals for the Panthers, while Cassidy Walsh added eight points, five rebounds and four assists.
The two teams traded buckets throughout the third period with YSU pushing the lead to nine points before a three-point field goal by Bugg trimmed the Pitt deficit to 46-40 with just over a minute remaining in the quarter. The Panthers shot 50 percent for the quarter but were plagued by five turnovers and six offensive rebounds allowed.
The Panthers used an 8-0 run to begin the second quarter to jump out to a 24-18 edge with 8:14 remaining in the half. Bugg and Walsh knocked down threes to open the quarter and Walters added an up and under move in the post to force a YSU timeout. The Penguins responded with an 8-0 run of their own and closed the half on a 15-4 run to take a 33-28 lead into halftime.
Youngstown State shot 54 percent in the opening quarter to jump out to an 18-16 lead. Bugg accounted for the bulk of Pitt's scoring with nine points in the first quarter.
The Penguins got a solid all-around effort from Chelsea Olson who finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. McKenah Peters and Mary Dunn both added nine points in the win for YSU.
