Pitt Honors Legend Lorri Johnson; Drops Close Game to BC

The game went to the wire, but the Pitt women’s basketball team couldn’t quite push through Sunday, as the Panthers lost, 59-55 to Boston College to fall to 0-3 in ACC play.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, as BC pulled ahead, 15-8 in the first period, but the Panthers came roaring back in the second quarter to go into the break down by just a pair. The Eagles pushed the lead to five at the end of the third quarter and led by as many as 10 in the final frame before the Panthers whittled it away, but ran out of time to complete the comeback.

Junior point guard Jasmine Whitney led the Panthers with 20 points, the second time this season she scored 20 points or more. Senior forward Danielle Garven was also in double figures with 11 points.

Whitney was 4 for 6 from 3-point range, but the rest of the Panthers went 2 for 13 from long range. As a team, Pitt shot 33.9 percent from the floor and allowed the Eagles to have a 43.1 shooting percentage. Pitt was also a sub-par 9 of 18 from the charity stripe.

At halftime, Pitt retired the No. 24 jersey of Panthers great Lorri Johnson. Johnson scored a school-record 2,312 career points from 1987 to 1992 and is the first Pitt women’s basketball player to have her number retired. Johnson is a New Castle native.

“Lorri Johnson was one of the best to ever wear the Pitt script,” Pitt head coach Lance White said. “Her name has been etched at the top of the record books for a long time, so I’m incredibly excited that we get to honor her by raising her jersey.”

GALLERY

Photos by Mike Darnay for Pittsburgh Sports Now

HIGHLIGHTS

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE

The game was the first of a four-game ACC homestand for the Panthers. They’ll host Syracuse on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m., Clemson on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. and Virginia on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.