YSU is no match for Pitt, 99-42

Penguins’ senior forward Nikita LaFleur was named to the all-tournament team.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — A taller Pittsburgh team shot 67.2 percent from the field and held Youngstown State to 30.6 percent in a 99-42 victory in the championship game of the Pittsburgh Thanksgiving Tournament on Saturday afternoon.

YSU senior forward Nikita LaFleur was named to the all-tournament team, following up a 24-point effort in YSU’s win against Weber State with seven points against Pitt.

Playing against a team whose starting five was a combined 21 inches taller, the Penguins led early and were within 31-22 with 3:59 remaining in the first half.

From that point, Pitt scored 32 straight points that spanned from the 3:22 mark of the first half to the 15:24 mark of the second half.

Kaitlyn March scored 10 points to lead YSU, and Tiara Scott added nine. Tournament MVP Shavonte Zellous scored 20 points, marking the fifth straight game she eclipsed the 20-point mark, to lead Pitt. Four other players scored in double figures for the Panthers, who held a 40-19 rebounding advantage.

The Penguins led 7-5 on LaFleur’s free throw with 16:24 remaining, but Pitt scored the next 10 points as part of a 16-3 run to go up 21-10.

March hit a 3 to cut Pitt’s lead to 31-22 with 3:59 remaining, but the Penguins could not score again for the remainder of the half. The Panthers closed the first period on an 11-0 run, keyed by seven points from Zellous. Pitt also scored the first 21 points of the second half.

Zellous, who came into the game averaging 22.8 points, was held scoreless until the 5:10 mark of the first half because of two early fouls.

Pitt shot 64 percent in the opening 20 minutes, making 16-of-25 overall and 4-of-6 from behind the arc. The Panthers started the half 2-for-7 but made 14 of their final 18 attempts before the break.

The Penguins will play host to Saint Francis (Pa.) on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. at the Beeghly Center.

Coming off the Pitt bench, freshman Kate Popovec (Canfield High) scored six points in 17 minutes of action.

Popovec shot 3-for-4 and grabbed five rebounds.