Swartz Leads Boston College Past Pitt in ACC Opener

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Cameron Swartz picked the most opportune time to step up for Boston College.

The junior guard poured in a career-high 33 points in Wednesday’s Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament opener, leading the 13th-seeded Eagles to a 67-56 victory over No. 12 seed Pitt.

Boston College (7-11) earned a spot opposite No. 5 seed Syracuse (12-7) in Thursday’s 2:30 p.m. second-round game at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Swartz, a native of Marietta, Georgia, matched her career-high with four 3-pointers and went 15-for-16 from the foul line as she nearly tripled her regular-season scoring average of 12.4 points per game. Her 33 points tied for the most ever by a BC player in ACC Tournament play, matching Mickel Picco’s effort against Maryland in 2008.

Makayla Dickens added 11 points for the Eagles, who avenged an 83-80 loss to the Panthers on Feb. 16. Jayla Everette’s 22 points led the Panthers (5-14), and Amber Brown scored 15

As had been the case in the regular-season meeting between the teams last month at Chestnut Hill, Boston College stormed from the gate in impressive fashion on Wednesday. With Swartz knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and scoring nine quick points, the Eagles built a 10-point lead in a little more than six minutes and led 14-7 at the end of the opening quarter.

Boston College pushed the margin as high as 15 points (28-13) with just more than three minutes remaining in the first half. But the Panthers – again mirroring the regular-season meeting – finally found their bearings. Fueled by a 13-0 run – nine by Everette – Pitt scrapped back to within 28-26 by the halftime break.

But the Eagles refused to fold on Wednesday, methodically building their led back to double-digits by the early stages of the fourth quarter.

Boston College and Syracuse will be meeting for the second time in a week on Thursday. The Orange claimed a 92-75 win at the Carrier Dome when the teams met on Feb. 25. Syracuse also won the first regular-season meeting between the teams on Dec. 20 by an 83-70 score.