ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands—South Dakota senior guard
Chloe Lamb scored 10 of her career-high 30 points in overtime to launch the Coyotes past Pitt 72-61 on Saturday night in the Paradise Jam at the University of Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center.
"Every game, especially in tough tournaments are a battle and our young ladies were incredibly resilient in finding a way to pick up this win!" said USD head coach
Dawn Plitzuweit. "We are excited to return to Vermillion and to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center next Saturday as we take on Wichita State."
South Dakota (3-4) earns its first win in program history over an ACC opponent.
Lamb made 12-of-23 from the field for her career high 30 points. She also handed out a trio of assists and grabbed three boards. She averaged 20.7 points during the three games of the Paradise Jam.
Second-year freshmen
Maddie Krull and
Natalie Mazurek joined her in double-figures. Krull tallied her first career double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. Mazurek had a career day with 10 points and six boards. She was 4-of-7 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers.
Pitt (5-2) was led by guard Dayshanette Harris with 18 points off the bench. Center Mary Dunn also pitched in 10 points and seven boards off the bench. Pitt's bench accounted for 40 of their 61 points on the night.
The Coyotes climbed out of an 11-point first-half deficit to win by 11 in overtime. There were six tie-ups and 11 lead changes in the game.
Mazurek scored back-to-back buckets late in the second quarter to close Pitt's advantage down to seven. A 10-2 USD run to start the third quarter, with seven points from Lamb, put the Coyotes out in front for the first time of the game at 32-30.
The two teams exchanged buckets for the remainder of the third period and entered the final frame tied at 44-all. It remained a tight contest throughout the fourth quarter.
Pitt's Harris knocked down a 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer to give the Panthers a 54-51 advantage with 1:19 to play. Lamb came up big in the closing minute – drawing an offensive foul on Pitt, sinking a pair of free throws and hitting a clutch floater to lead 55-54 with 21 seconds left.
Krull stole away the ball on Pitt's next possession and a foul put her at the free-throw line where she converted 1-of-2. Pitt's Liatu King made her only field goal of the night on a driving layup with three seconds remaining to tie it up at 56-all.
Lamb took over the game in overtime. She scored eight of USD's first 10 points as the Coyotes went up 66-58. South Dakota made 6-of-7 from the floor during the overtime period with
Kyah Watson pulling down the lone miss with an offensive board.
Pitt entered the game leading the nation in rebounds per game with 51. However, it was a group effort by the Coyotes on the boards as South Dakota edged Pitt 49-42 on the glass. In addition to Krull's 10 boards, senior
Hannah Sjerven tallied 10 rebounds, sophomore
Jeniah Ugofsky grabbed seven, Mazurek had six and Watson finished with five. Ugofsky had a team-high five of USD's 21 offensive boards.
South Dakota shot 34.2 percent (25-of-73) from the floor and 26.7 percent (8-of-30) from behind the arc for the game. Pitt finished 33.3 percent (21-of-63) from the field and 25.0 percent (5-of-20) from deep.
South Dakota returns home to the friendly confines of the Sanford Coyote Sports Center for the next three games. The Coyotes host Wichita State next Saturday at 1 p.m.
