# 2008–09 Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball team

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 are 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 went 24-10, tying a program record number of wins set the previous season. Pitt earned its first ever bid to the NCAA women's basketball tournament advancing to the second round where it lost to eventual national champion Tennessee. Pitt finished the season ranked #16 in the Coaches' Poll, its highest finish in the polls for the women up until that point. Center Marcedes Walker and Guards Karlyle Lim and Mallorie Winn finish up their eligibility.

## Offseason

* Agnus Berenato is honored as the Dapper Dan Sportswomen of the Year for 2008-09.
* Marcedes Walker earns 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 exhibitions games
* Shavonte Zellous is named to the State Farm Wade Trophy "Watch List"
* Seven of the women's team's games are picked up for television, including two appearances on ESPN2
* Former center Marcedes Walker's jersey is selected to hang in the "Ring of Honor" at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
* Shavonte Zellous is named to the preseason All-American teams of Lindy's and the Sporting News.
* Agnus Berenato's contract is extended to coach the University of Pittsburgh through the 2015-16 season.
* Shavonte Zellous is a unanimous selection to the pre-season All-Big East team.
* Shavonte Zellous is named as one of 30 candidates for the John R. Wooden Award.
* Shavonte Zellous, alongside DeJuan Blair of the Pitt men's team, appears 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) |
| Exhibition |||||||
| 11/05/08 | vs. Ohio Legends | Petersen Events Center | | W | 73-58 | |
| 11/11/08 | Premier Players | Petersen Events Center | | W | 76-65 | |
| Regular Season |||||||
| 11/16/08 | vs. Texas A&M | Baton Rouge, La. State Farm Tipoff Classic | ESPN2 | L | 56-50 | 0-1 |
| 11/20/08 | at Western Michigan | Kalamazoo, Mich. | | W | 88-60 | 1-1 |
| 11/24/08 | vs. Penn State | Petersen Events Center Pitt–Penn State rivalry | | W | 80-59 | 2-1 |
| 11/28/08 | vs. Elon | Petersen Events Center Pitt Thanksgiving Tournament | | W | 84-49 | 3-1 |
| 11/29/08 | vs. Youngstown State | Petersen Events Center Pitt Thanksgiving Tournament | | W | 99-42 | 4-1 |
| 12/03/08 | at Duquesne | Pittsburgh, Pa. City Game | | W | 66-47 | 5-1 |
| 12/07/08 | vs. Maryland | Petersen Events Center | | W | 86-57 | 6-1 |
| 12/13/08 | vs. West Virginia State | Petersen Events Center | | W | 85-37 | 7-1 |
| 12/16/08 | vs. Wagner | Petersen Events Center | | W | 98-41 | 8-1 |
| 12/19/08 | at Florida A&M | Tallahassee, Fla. | | W | 89-59 | 9-1 |
| 12/21/08 | at Florida | Gainesville, Fla. | | L | 90-83 | 9-2 |
| 12/30/08 | vs. Western Kentucky | Petersen Events Center | | W | 93-50 | 10-2 |
| 01/04/09 | vs. West Virginia | Petersen Events Center Backyard 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 Championship |||||||
| 03/08/09 | vs. DePaul | Hartford, Conn. (Big East Quarterfinals) | ESPNU | W | 62-59 | 23-6 |
| 03/09/09 | vs. Louisville | Hartford, Conn. (Big East Semifinals) | ESPNU | L | 69-63 | 23-7 |
| NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament |||||||
| 03/21/09 | vs. Montana | Seattle, Wash. (NCAA First Round) | ESPN2 | W | 64-35 | 24-7 |
| 03/23/09 | vs. Gonzaga | Seattle, Wash. (NCAA Second Round) | ESPN2 | W | 65-60 | 25-7 |
| 03/29/09 | vs. Oklahoma | Oklahoma City, Okla. (NCAA Regional Quarterfinals) | ESPN2 | L | 70-59 | 25-8 |

## Rankings

Ranking Movement Legend: ██ 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 |