Faced with the brutal scenario of leaving winless from the season’s debut tournament, the Arizona women’s basketball team developed a refusal to lose.

Such timely willpower and sparked intensity translated into a 86-77 overtime win over Charlotte in the WBCA/Basketball Travelers Classic at Penn State on Sunday.

“”I think we understand our team better and I think now we can really improve,”” said UA head coach Joan Bonvicini. “”I hate to be 1-2, but I think we’ve grown as a team.””

Arizona (1-2) erupted in overtime, scoring the first 10 points. The Wildcats’ 42.9 percent shooting helped solidify a 15-6 overtime run and the team’s fourth consecutive overtime win.

The UA’s newcomers played far beyond their years, Bonvicini said, led by the “”inspiring”” freshman Tasha Dickey, who fired up the team by leading with 18 points.

“”We weren’t going to lose. … It was just something that wasn’t going to happen,”” Dickey said. “”We just showed them we really can play and we were really meant to be here. We just wanted this so bad.””

Forward Rheya Neabors sunk two free throws with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to put Arizona up 71-69, but Charlotte’s Erin Floyd, who led the team with 19 points and 10 rebounds, tied the game with a layup as time expired.

Charlotte fell to 0-3.

Fouls, slow start too much to overcome against No. 20 Pitt

A sense of urgency Sunday brought a win and a cure for Saturday’s “”forgettable”” loss to No. 20 Pittsburgh, Bonvicini said.

Arizona lost 81-58 after the team committed 24 personal fouls and fell down 40-15 at halftime.

The Panthers broke open a 15-0 run early in the game and never looked back, led by Mallorie Winn’s 17 points and Marcedes Walker’s 11 rebounds.

Guard Ashley Whisonant scored 17 of her team-high 19 points in the second half for the Wildcats, while

forward Amina Njonkou added 14.

Wildcats can’t seal deal in season opener

Arizona fell short of a comeback in its first game of the season against Penn State, despite Whisonant’s career-best 26 points.

The Wildcats overcame an immense deficit with a 13-1 run, inching closer to busting a 58-57 Penn State lead.

Guard Erin O’Bryan hit a 3-pointer to put Arizona up 64-62 with 8:44 remaining, but as the game remained deadlocked at 69 with 5:05 remaining, Penn State answered by hitting back-to-back 3s, killing an Arizona comeback.

Njonkou earned her fifth-career double-double, contributing 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Kam Gissendanner’s 23 points led Penn State, which shot 41.3 percent from the field.

And 1

Guard Jessica Arnold did not travel with the team to University Park, Penn., due to a concussion suffered at the Vanguard exhibition game.