| Mode: | Women's Basketball |
| Year: | 2008-09 |
| Prev Year: | 2007-08 |
| Next Year: | 2009–10 |
| Team: | Pittsburgh Panthers |
| Conference: | Big East Conference (1979–2013)Big East |
| Short Conf: | Big East |
| Coachrank: | 15 |
| Aprank: | 15 |
| Record: | 25-8 |
| Conf Record: | 12-4 |
| Asst Coach1: | Jeff Williams |
| Asst Coach2: | Caroline McCombs |
| Bowl Result: | Sweet Sixteen |
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.
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.
| 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 | 5-10 | Guard | Senior (RS) | Orlando, FL | |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | 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. | 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 |
| Tied with team above or below also with this symbol --> | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 |
| Round | Pick | Player | WNBA Club |
| 1 | 11 | Detroit Shock | |