The Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball team made history by rallying from a 32-point halftime deficit to defeat SMU, tying the largest comeback in NCAA women's basketball history.
women's basketball coach Tory Verdi had a simple second-half message Sunday for his team, which was getting absolutely blown out at home against SMU . Down by 32 points in the first half, still down by 31 at intermission, Pittsburgh tied the largest comeback in NCAA women's basketball history, rallying to stun SMU . \Verdi said, 'I came in at halftime and said, 'I don't have any magic words and I don't have any magic plays.' We were just getting outworked, we were getting outplayed.
It was a positive, spirited conversation. I challenged them. We talked about pride, having a sense of pride. And then essentially I gave them a roadmap to get us back into the game.' \SMU led 46-14 late in the first half. From there, Pittsburgh finished the game on a 58-13 run. The Panthers missed their first 10 shots of the game and started 2-for-20 from the field. SMU's lead was 32-7 after one quarter, and the Mustangs pushed that out to the 32-point margin with 1:37 left in the half. \Marley Washenitz opened the second half with 3-pointers for the Panthers, but they only cut the lead to 25. Faye had six straight points midway through the third to get Pitt within 15. Verdi started to hear people whispering stats on press row as the comeback was happening. 'I think I was down in a defensive stance as well -- and I don't get that low that often,' Verdi said. 'I just was in the game with them. I think I had both fists like just curled up. And I was like, 'We got this, we got this.'' \SMU took the lead back twice in the early stages of the fourth, before Washenitz's jumper tied it at 54 and Elmore hit a 3-pointer with 4:55 left to put Pitt on top for good. 'Once the game ended and once I really realized what occurred, it's amazing,' Verdi said. 'But I'm just so proud. I'm proud of the players because they made it happen. It's not me. Our kids did this and they deserve this.' \SMU shot 2-for-28 (7%) in the second half. SMU was 10-for-18 from the field in the game's first 9 minutes. The Mustangs were 5-for-44 from the field in the final 31 minutes. SMU missed its final 21 shots from 2-point range. The Mustangs didn't have a 2-point make in the final three quarters; all five of their made baskets in the final three quarters were from beyond the 3-point arc. SMU had 21 points in the first half, then just two in the second half. The only Mustangs player with a field goal in the second half wa
WOMEN's BASKETBALL NCAA RECORDS COMEBACK PITTSBURGH PANTHERS SMU
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