Dec. 23, 2001

Box Score

Cancun, Mexico-For the first time in head coach Traci Waites tenure at the University of Pittsburgh, the Panthers knocked off a ranked team, pounding No. 17 North Carolina State, 82-65, in the final game of the Torneo Cancun de Basquetbol. Pittsburgh improved to 4-7 on the year and snapped its four-game skid.

The Panthers shot an amazing 53 percent (9 of 17) from 3-point land, including 89 percent (8 of 9) in the second half. Pittsburgh also connected on 56 percent of its shots from the field and drained 79 percent from the free throw line.

Pittsburgh was paced by all-tournament selection Mandy Wittenmyer (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), who capped off the tourney with 22 points (7-of-12 shooting), including 8 of 10 from the charity stripe. Wittenmyer finished the tourney with 55 total points, including a career-best 33 on Thursday against Mississippi State.

Junior Laine Selwyn (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs) also was selected to the all-tourney squad after she dropped in 12 points and dished out six assists against the Wolfpack.

Freshman Haley Harguth (Beaverton, Ore./Beaverton) recorded a career-high 17 points on the afternoon, drilling five three-pointers in seven tries. Brooke Stewart (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) and Amy Kunich (Monroeville, Pa./Oakland Catholic) each fired in two treys apiece for Pittsburgh.

With the score knotted at 34-34 at the break, Pittsburgh darted out to a 24-10 run to take a 58-44 advantage with 11 minutes remaining. The Panthers continued to pour it on the Wolfpack the rest of the contest, stretching the lead to as many as 20 points (82-62) as Harguth put the nail in the coffin with her fifth 3-pointer of the game with 17 seconds left.

Pittsburgh now takes on St. Francis (Pa.) on Dec. 30 at Fitzgerald Field House in its last non-conference matchup of the season. Tip off is set for 2 p.m.