OAKLAND – Robert Morris women’s basketball (4-1) traveled to Pitt for a non-conference Western Pennsylvania clash against the Panthers (4-2). RMU entered the matchup fresh off a narrow two-point win over neighboring Duquesne, but ultimately fell to Pitt with a final score of 63-54 after holding a lead until the closing moments of the third quarter.
This contest marked the 25th meeting between the Colonials and the Panthers, and with the win, Pitt extends its all-time record to 25-0 against RMU.
Aislin Malcolm is no stranger to the Petersen Events Center. After three standout seasons with Pitt, she transferred to RMU, where she has quickly become the leader of the Colonial offense. Malcolm has averaged 16.0 PPG, which is third in the Horizon League, and she was named the #HLWBB Player of the Week on Nov. 10. The senior guard once again stepped up, tying with graduate guard Jada Lee for a team-high 11 points.
“This feels like home still,” Malcolm said following the matchup. “I grew up here, played high school games here, so it was nice. I just wish we could have gotten the win.”
RMU maintained a strong defensive presence throughout the first half, matching up impressively as a Horizon League program against an ACC opponent. Field goal percentage told much of the early story. Pitt struggled to convert while RMU found enough rhythm to open up the floor. The Panthers began to chip away in the second quarter, turning it into a more balanced matchup, although the Colonials still carried a comfortable lead at the break.
“I think we had a really good game plan,” Malcom said. “They still ran some of the plays, so when they called it out, our whole team knew it.”
Momentum shifted in the third quarter. Pitt briefly took the lead, handed it back, then reclaimed it once more. From that point forward, the Panthers never surrendered control and continued to build separation throughout the final frame, closing out the comeback win.
After Pitt’s surge to open the fourth, RMU’s offense stalled. The Colonials shot just 32.8 percent from the field overall, including 37.5 percent from three. Meanwhile, Pitt extended its control by making high-effort plays and dominating the boards; the Panthers grabbed 47 rebounds, including 7 offensive boards, compared to RMU’s 31 total. RMU was heavily outshooting Pitt in the first half and controlled the offensive pace, but the Panthers flipped the script after halftime and took over the scoring efficiency the rest of the way.
Turnovers also became a problem for RMU down the stretch. Pitt forced 16 RMU turnovers, turning those into extra possessions and extra points. What was once a 19-point lead turned into a 9-point loss. Pitt took control in the 4th.
The Colonials will look to bounce back as the team hits the road again, this time a bit further of a journey for a Wednesday afternoon matchup at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 26 in Ypsilanti, slated for a 1:00 p.m. tip.
Subscribe to our emails, and get our latest posts in your inbox, plus a weekly digest of everything we've published!
