The University of North Carolina women’s basketball team usually performs well in the ACC Tournament. This year they encountered disappointment, losing their first game in Greensboro Coliseum with an 82-72 overtime loss to Pittsburgh.

With 15.9 seconds left coach Sylvia Hatchell called a timeout, down 64-67. Netting her most important basket of the season, sophomore Jamie Cherry tied the game, forcing overtime with a clutch three-pointer.

The Tar Heels began their first overtime period of the year with a 7-0 Pittsburgh run over two minutes. UNC finally broke through off two free-throws from freshman Destinee Walker, but would only score once more in the final five minutes with a three-pointer from ACC Freshman of the Year, Stephanie Watts.

Watts led the team with 20 points, while Cherry added 18 points. In addition, Walker scored 12 points and redshirt junior Hillary Summers contributed 14 points and 8 rebounds.

Worth noting, Watts hit her 75th three-pointer of the season, most ever for a UNC freshman player.

The Panthers were led by Brenna Wise’s 25 points, followed by Aysia Bugg’s 20.

The Tar Heels and Panthers met once before during the regular season, in which Pitt picked up a 76-60 win.

The game started out well for North Carolina, ending the first period trailing by one, 19-18. The Tar Heels were 8-for-9 with field-goals early on, keeping them in pace with the Panthers, who completed the regular season with an overall 13-17 record. North Carolina was 14-17 overall.

Cherry, Summers and Watts, carried the team in first half points, but with a struggling N’Dea Bryant, Walker and Erika Johnson, UNC entered halftime down 41-33, as Pitt scored 22 second period points, compared to UNC’s 15.

A slow third period saw Pitt score only 6 points, while North Carolina added 14. A 7-0 run for the Tar Heels late in the third quarter with 1:44 left brought them within two, trailing 47-45. The period would end tied up, 47-47.

Walker found her touch, going 4-for-4 with field-goals late in the third and early in the fourth period, keeping UNC tied at 51-51 early on.

UNC re-gained a lead with six minutes remaining, leading 56-53 off a Summers basket. With 15.9 seconds left they trailed 67-64, setting the stage for Cherry’s OT-inducing three-pointer.

UNC could not match Pitts’ 15 overtime points, scoring only five.

Pittsburgh will take on Miami at eleven o’clock tomorrow in Greensboro Coliseum.

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