The 2008–09 Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2008–09 NCAA Division I women's basketball season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16". The Panthers were coached by Agnus Berenato. The Panthers were a member of the Big East Conference and played their home games at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Previous season The 2007-08 Pitt women's basketball team went 24-10, tying a program record number of wins set the previous season. Pitt earned their first ever bid to the NCAA women's basketball tournament, advancing to the second round, where they lost to eventual national champion Tennessee. Pitt finished the season ranked #16 in the Coaches' Poll, their highest finish in the polls for the women up until that point. Center Marcedes Walker and guards Karlyle Lim and Mallorie Winn finished up their eligibility.
Offseason Agnus Berenato was honored as the Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the Year for 2008-09. Marcedes Walker earned a spot on the WNBA's Houston Comets's roster. Pitt hired assistant coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin from the University of Portland to replace departed assistant coach Shea Ralph, who took a position at her alma mater Connecticut. The Pitt women's team took a preseason trip to Europe to play three exhibition games. Shavonte Zellous was named to the State Farm Wade Trophy "Watch List". Seven of the women's team's games were picked up for television, including two appearances on ESPN2. Former center Marcedes Walker's jersey was selected to hang in the "Ring of Honor" at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Shavonte Zellous was named to the preseason All-American teams of Lindy's. and the Sporting News. Agnus Berenato's contract was extended to coach the University of Pittsburgh through the 2015-16 season. Shavonte Zellous was a unanimous selection to the pre-season All-Big East team. Shavonte Zellous was named as one of 30 candidates for the John R. Wooden Award. Shavonte Zellous, alongside DeJuan Blair of the Pitt men's team, appeared on one of six covers of the Sports Illustrated College Basketball Preview Issue.
Roster Number Name Height Position Class Hometown 22 Chelsea Cole 6-3 Forward Sophomore Lumberton, NJ 10 Taneisha Harrison 6-0 Guard Sophomore Bowie, MD 32 Selena Nwude 6-5 Center Sophomore (RS) Riverdale, MD 24 Sarah Ogoke 5-8 Guard Freshman Sugar Land, TX 50 Kate Popovec 6-3 Center Freshman Canfield, OH 2 Sophronia Sallard 5-10 Guard/forward Junior (RS) Syracuse, NY 25 Shayla Scott 6-1 Guard Sophomore Monroeville, PA 14 Jania Sims* 5-7 Guard Junior Newark, NJ 33 Xenia Stewart 6-0 Guard Senior Bowie, MD 12 Brittaney Thomas 5-8 Guard Junior (RS) Montgomery, AL 40 Shawnice "Pepper" Wilson 6-6 Center Freshman Pittsburgh, PA 1 Shavonte Zellous 5-10 Guard Senior (RS) Orlando, FL *Injured during the first regular season game against Texas A&M and was redshirted.
Schedule and results Date Opponent Location Television Result Score Record (conference) Exhibition11/05/08 vs. Ohio Legends Petersen Events Center W 73-58 11/11/08 Premier Players Petersen Events Center W 76-65 Regular season11/16/08 vs. Texas A&M Baton Rouge, La.State Farm Tipoff Classic ESPN2 L 56-50 0-111/20/08 at Western Michigan Kalamazoo, Mich. W 88-60 1-111/24/08 vs. Penn State Petersen Events CenterPitt–Penn State rivalry W 80-59 2-111/28/08 vs. Elon Petersen Events CenterPitt Thanksgiving Tournament W 84-49 3-111/29/08 vs. Youngstown State Petersen Events CenterPitt Thanksgiving Tournament W 99-42 4-112/03/08 at Duquesne Pittsburgh, Pa.City Game W 66-47 5-112/07/08 vs. Maryland Petersen Events Center W 86-57 6-112/13/08 vs. West Virginia State Petersen Events Center W 85-37 7-112/16/08 vs. Wagner Petersen Events Center W 98-41 8-112/19/08 at Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla. W 89-59 9-112/21/08 at Florida Gainesville, Fla. L 90-83 9-212/30/08 vs. Western Kentucky Petersen Events Center W 93-50 10-201/04/09 vs. West Virginia Petersen Events CenterBackyard Brawl ESPNU W 72-63 11-2 (1-0)01/07/09 at Providence Providence, R.I. L 77-69 11-3 (1-1)01/10/09 vs. DePaul Petersen Events Center Big East TV L 69-62 11-4 (1-2)01/17/09 vs. USF Petersen Events Center W 79-47 12-4 (2-2)01/20/09 at Seton Hall South Orange, N.J. W 76-40 13-4 (3-2)01/24/09 at Syracuse Syracuse, N.Y. W 77-75 14-4 (4-2)01/27/09 at Georgetown Washington, D.C. W 50-39 15-4 (5-2)01/30/09 vs. Marquette Petersen Events Center W 86-54 16-4 (6-2)02/03/09 vs. Notre Dame Petersen Events Center W 82-70 17-4 (7-2)02/10/09 at Rutgers Piscataway, N.J. CBS College Sports W 61-53 (OT) 18-4 (8-2)02/15/09 at Connecticut Storrs, Conn. ESPN2 L 95-42 18-5 (8-3)02/18/09 vs. Villanova Petersen Events Center W 70-54 19-5 (9-3)02/21/09 vs. Cincinnati Petersen Events Center W 68-53 20-5 (10-3)02/24/09 at West Virginia Morgantown, W.Va.Backyard Brawl CBS College Sports W 72-60 21-5 (11-3)02/28/09 at Louisville Louisville, Ky. Big East TV L 75-51 21-6 (11-4)03/02/09 vs. St. John's Petersen Events Center W 79-60 22-6 (12-4) Big East Women's Basketball Championship03/08/09 vs. DePaul Hartford, Conn.(Big East Quarterfinals) ESPNU W 62-59 23-603/09/09 vs. Louisville Hartford, Conn.(Big East Semifinals) ESPNU L 69-63 23-7 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament03/21/09 vs. Montana Seattle, Wash.(NCAA First Round) ESPN2 W 64-35 24-703/23/09 vs. Gonzaga Seattle, Wash.(NCAA Second Round) ESPN2 W 65-60 25-703/29/09 vs. Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Okla.(NCAA Regional Quarterfinals) ESPN2 L 70-59 25-8
Rankings + Ranking movementLegend: ██ Improvement in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. ██ Not ranked the previous week. rv=Others receiving votes. Poll Pre Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13 Wk 14 Wk 15 Wk 16 WK 17 Final AP rv rv rv 24 16 16 19 19 19 rv 25 21 22 19 19 15 14 15 n/a Coaches 23 rv rv rv 20 19 23 22 20 rv rv 24 24 23 22 20 19 16 15
Team players drafted into the WNBA Round Pick Player WNBA club 1 11 Shavonte Zellous Detroit Shock
See also Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball 2008–09 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team Pittsburgh Panthers University of Pittsburgh Big East Conference
References
External links Official site