Pittsburgh Sports Now
DALLAS, TX – Behind a dominant performance from graduate center Khadija Faye, the Pitt
women’s basketball team edged SMU, 58-57, on Sunday evening at Moody Coliseum.
Faye posted a career-high 17 rebounds to go along with 22 points, securing her 11th
double-double of the season and surpassing 1,000 career points in the process. The victory
marked Pitt’s (11-14, 3-9 ACC) 11th win of the season, tying its highest total since 2016-17. It
also marked the first time the Panthers have won consecutive ACC games since last season.
Senior forward MaKayla Elmore tied her career high with 17 points while adding seven
rebounds. Junior guard Marley Washenitz chipped in six points and six rebounds and led the
team with a plus/minus of +7.
Defensively, Pitt held SMU (10-15, 2-11 ACC) to 32.3% shooting from the field and 23.1% from
beyond the arc. The Panthers came up with two crucial defensive stops in the final seconds to
seal the win.
Pitt opened with an 8-4 lead behind baskets from Faye, Johnson, and Elmore. SMU responded to
tie the game before a pair of Elmore free throws put the Panthers back ahead. The Mustangs
closed the quarter on a 5-2 run to take a 13-12 lead.
The Panthers surged ahead in the second quarter, outscoring SMU 10-4 in the opening minutes.
After a 7-2 Mustangs run tied the game at 24, Faye hit a jumper to eclipse 1,000 career points,
sparking a 9-3 Pitt run to close the half with a 33-27 lead.
Pitt maintained control in the third quarter, as Faye and Elmore scored on consecutive
possessions. The Panthers entered the final period with a 47-38 advantage.
SMU chipped away in the fourth, using a 5-1 burst to cut the deficit to two with 2:32 remaining.
The Mustangs then took their first lead of the second half with 35 seconds left after scoring five
straight points.
With Pitt trailing 57-56, Johnson sank two free throws at the 26-second mark to reclaim the lead.
The Panthers’ defense held firm on the final possession, securing the one-point victory.
Pitt returns home to face No. 3 Notre Dame on Thursday, Feb. 13. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. on
ACC Network.