Well the clinching of the Big East Tournament first-round bye will have to wait another day. The Shitsburgh Panthers beat the 13th-ranked West Virginia Mountaineer women’s basketball tonight 77-75 in OT.

To look at the big picture in regards to the Backyard Brawl rematch the Panthers apparently wanted this game more than the Eers did. They were not going to put out like drunken sorority chicks on rush night like they did the last time they faced the Mountaineers almost two weeks ago. They came to play and the West Virginia team looked like a doe in headlights. The whole game, for me, was frustrating to watch.

Throughout the game sPitt used their man-to-man trap defense to near perfection. Whenever the dribblers would cross mid-court their were Panther defenders double-teaming them causing ball movement to be choppy and forced. If they weren’t trapping, they were in your face the whole time throwing the offense out of rhythm and ultimate causing too many traveling calls and misfired passes. All-in-all they forced 24 Mountaineer turnovers in the game 14 in the first half alone. They also got the better of the Mountaineers in rebounding. While sPitt won the rebounding margin by only three they were able to retrieve 18 offensive rebounds.

What made it more aggravating was Pitt sharp-shooter Shavonte Zellous. Twice, in the first half, she was fouled from the three-point range making ALL six foul shots. She scored 29 points. If you take away the six she would’ve been 3 of 11 foul shooting. That got the Eers back in it forcing overtime and nearly costing sPitt the game. The Mountaineers were up by nine once at 20-11 thanks to a barrage of five three-pointers but sPitt rallied through moxie as they tied the Eers at 34 at the half. sPitt 34 first half points was one point less than they scored ALL GAME in the previous meeting with the Eers. In another strange turn in the rivalry WVU and sPitt scored 34 points each once again. 68-68 heading to overtime.

With a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament on the line the Mountaineers had to answer against the suffocating sPitt defense. Pitt were a step quicker and had the fire in their eyes. They lead for most of the second half with pinpoint perimeter shooting. The dagger came when point guard Majorie Winn drained the three from the left wing to give Shitsburgh a 74-71 with 2 minutes left in OT. WVU had difficulty making a solid shot down the stretch but Zellous once again missed her free throws that would’ve pulled sPitt away. Owens, in desperation, could not make the three as time run out.

Meg Bulger, in her final appearance on the Pitt campus in the same neighborhood she grew up at in Oakland, played the game of her life. She scored a 19 points on 4 of 7 shooting from three. She also had 8 rebounds. Senior Yinka Sanni won the battle with fellow counterpart “Mo-Mo” Walker scoring 19 points as well along with 8 rebounds. Owens struggled to the tune of 3 of 9 shooting but scored 12 points.

We’ll get them back on March 3rd when the West Virginia Mountaineer men’s team take on the hated Panthers at the WVU Coliseum in front of a ESPN Big Monday audience. Their better be every ass on those 14,000 seats. Even you season ticket holder who has lower-level seats but don’t show up. Give them away if you have to. The student section 4,000 strong must be loud and clear throughout the game. When WVU wins I will be among the few thousand others who will be running on to the court chanting “COUNTRY ROADS”. I’m so fired up. I fucking hate Pitt. FUCK PITT. EAT SHIT PITT. I HATE PITT. Oh, the West Virginia women will have Senior Day Saturday against underrated Louisville. Show your support for Meg Bulger, Yinka Sanni, Chakhia Cole, and the rest of the Mountaineers seniors who has helped Coach Carey bring this program to a respectable level.