Pitt women’s basketball team ready to take step forward behind deeper roster
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Newcomers made an immediate impact for the Pitt women’s basketball team a year ago.
The Panthers hope for more of the same this season.
Coach Lance White welcomed a tall and physical recruiting class, as well as New Mexico transfer Jayla Everett.
Coupled with a talented group of returning sophomores who stepped right into the lineup last year, Pitt is expected to improve on its 5-26 mark from a year ago, including a 1-17 record in ACC play.
The Panthers’ newfound depth will be the key to finding success in the ACC, White said.
“Now we’ve got kids vying for positions. That’s something that really adds to the competition level,” White said this week on “The Lance White Radio Show.”
“We’ve got 9-10 strong I feel really great about. Those freshmen are getting better every day. Our depth is so much better. It’s made it more difficult for me to make those decisions (on playing time).”
Pitt’s offensive attack begins with sophomore Dayshanette Harris. The 5-foot-7 guard led the team in scoring at 12.7 points per game and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
She’ll be joined in the backcourt by senior co-captain Gabbie Green, who averaged 9.6 points and connected on 60 3-pointers last season.
“I’m ready to see our growth and how far we’ve come since last year,” Green said on White’s radio show. “We’re being more consistent, so that’s a good start.”
Everett, who was the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year in 2018-19, also is expected to step into a starting role. The junior guard averaged 12.3 points, 3.5 assists and 3.4 rebounds last season.
“(Everett) is somebody who can right away help our program, and she’s a game-changer,” White said on his radio show. “Her basketball IQ and how hard and how fast she plays and her talk is really incredible. She’s somebody that I think really has a chance to be an all-conference-type player.”
Also back is sophomore guard Emy Hayford (4.7 points, 3.2 rebounds). Freshmen Taisha Exanor, Sandrine Clesca and Liatu King, plus sophomore transfer Destiny Strother (from Marquette) add depth to the backcourt.
Junior guard Ismini Prapa will miss the season with a knee injury.
In the frontcourt, Pitt will look to senior co-captain Cara Judkins (6-2), who started 24 games at center last season.
Sophomore forward Amber Brown and sophomore center Rita Igbokwe also return. Brown (6-0) averaged 9.1 points and 7.7 rebounds and was named ACC Freshman of the Week twice. Igbokwe (6-4) started late in the season and averaged 4.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. She also blocked 60 shots to break a Pitt freshman record.
Redshirt freshman Cynthia Ezeja (6-3) and freshman Tracey Hueston (6-2), a promising prospect who is coming off a knee injury, add depth.
Pitt is missing senior Marcella Lamark (6-4), who has not yet reported to campus from her native Brazil because of Visa restrictions brought on by the covid-19 pandemic. She played in 22 games last season.
Pitt will open the season against George Mason at noon Wednesday at Petersen Events Center.
It is one of just three nonconference games before the start of ACC play.
“Dec. 10, we have to be ready for ACC play,” White said. “We just have to keep getting better. I love the frame of mind our kids are in. But that’s got to be our continued growth.”