Pitt Women’s Basketball Coach Tory Verdi was prepared to give his postgame thoughts to his team following a 79-74 Tuesday-night season-opening victory over Yale, his first with the program, but before he knew it, his suit was covered with water.
Mere minutes after he turned to the Pitt fans and shouted “let’s go” with the victory secured, Verdi’s towel was strapped onto his face as he processed the surprise just sprung on him.
“I’m just happy for our players,” he stated. “They know what practice is like every single day. They think I’m crazy and it’s okay. I’ve been married for 25 years, and I hear it every day but there’s a method to my madness. I’m their opponent each and every day. In practices it’s not easy but it’s worth it. When you get these types of results you see why we do the things we’re doing.”
Verdi is aware that those in attendance may have been stressed out, but the Tuesday-night triumph was one which he feels was seven months in the making.
As soon as Verdi arrived at Pitt, he explained that things needed to be different on a daily basis and the set out to change both the culture as well as the belief within the program.
“Tonight, our mental toughness is why we won,” determined Verdi. “I’m not sure if we had this day one. It’s been a journey but I’m super happy. We took their best punch no question about it.”
While Pitt was far from a perfect product, there were clear glimpses which certainly were not previously visible. At times the ball hummed with purpose, Pitt drew four charges including Marley Washenitz picking up two right after a timeout, the Panthers were consistently first to the punch after stoppages of play, it maintained identity through adversity and played with a clear heart.
It is hard to call the first game in a season program defining, but there are certain nerves that come with a first game. Everything is old because it has been instilled for months, but at the same time it all is new because this is the first game that has a true outcome of direct reward or consequence.
The victory is a home win which displayed fight and a refusal to quit. There was no question that Pitt became a better team through the win, doing so against a veteran team and a identity which had already started to form.
Graduate student forward Jala Jordan’s Pitt debut came with a 14-point effort during which she displayed a confidence which grew throughout the contest as she pushed to find a result, something which has grown since coming to campus.
“I know that I have a coaching staff that’s rooting for me and wants the best for me,” she explained. “That instills more confidence and just the want to. I’m very grateful to be in this situation.”
Junior guard Bella Perkins scored a game-high 21 points and her three-point shot with 49 seconds remaining in regulation put the game out of reach.
Nearly half an hour after her celebration concluded with a resounding fist pump, she sat at the postgame podium, a smile wide across her face explaining how from the beginning she knew something special was present, something which starts with Verdi.
“It’s not always perfect, but having a good relationship with your coaches, all of them helps a lot,” Perkins said. “He trusts us, we trust him, and it just makes you want to fight and play for not only yourself and your teammates, but also for coach. This is his first win at Pitt so that’s big and we want to do it all for each other.”
When asked, Verdi pondered about the past several months and what they meant. How he has grown.
The nearly two-minute answer?
It came down to believing he is truly blessed to be in a great situation where he loved working in all aspects, whether with staff, the team and beyond.
“Just to watch them compete each and every single day and just who they are as people,” replied a poised Verdi. “I think for me personally my goal in what I need to do is I need to challenge them. If I don’t challenge them, then I’m failing them, and my job is to push them and get them to go beyond where they could physically go. When you’re exhausted you’ve got to find a way to keep going because the teams that don’t win, they stop, the teams that do win they keep going. That’s something that we’re learning. I’m truly blessed to work with these guys every single day and I’m having a lot of fun. Tonight was just great for them, for our fans, great for the program.”
As Verdi wiped off his face in Pitt’s locker room and processed the barrage of water, he jumped towards the middle of the room surrounded by his team, celebrating the first of what he hopes to be many more wins.
“I’m going to give it my all,” Verdi concluded. “It doesn’t change and that’s why I said, ‘every game matters’. This isn’t a rebuilding year. When you say rebuilding year that’s an excuse to be mediocre. We’re not rebuilding, I expect to go out there and compete each and every single night and put ourselves in a position to win. I’m just thankful that I get to work with these guys every day.”
