PITTSBURGH – Sophomore guard Jaland Lowe posted the sixth triple-double (11 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) in program history, while Ishmael Leggett scored a game-high 14 points as Pitt improved to 5-0 on the season with an overpowering 93-48 win over VMI Monday night at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt had six double-figure scorers in the contest and shot 71 percent from the field in the second half en route to the 45-point win.
Leggett went 6-of-9 from the field with a pair of threes to pace the Panther scoring attack. Guillermo Diaz Graham delivered 13 points, six rebounds, and two steals, while Cameron Corhen went 5-of-5 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line in posting 12 points and six rebounds.
Damian Dunn added 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals as Pitt’s starting guard trio continued its strong start to the season. Jorge Diaz Graham came off the bench to contribute 12 points on a 4-of-4 shooting effort from beyond the arc.
The Panthers made a season-high 12 three-point field goals on the night and also had a dominating performance on the interior. Pitt won the rebounding battle 47-31, while also outscoring the Keydets, 40-18, in points in the paint.
Pitt jumped out to an 10-0 lead as Corhen scored six of the first 10 points of the game and the Panthers held VMI without a field goal (0-of-7) over the first 5:31 of play. Lowe extended the lead to 19-6 with a steal and driving finish with 9:54 remaining in the opening half.
VMI climbed back into the game with a 6-0 run by Linas Holmstrom to get to within three at 21-18 as Pitt went through a four-minute drought without a field goal. Leggett hit a three-pointer on the next Pitt possession to snap a string of nine misses from beyond the arc to open the game.
Guillermo Diaz Graham added a steal and layup as well as a pair of free throws around two from the charity stripe from Lowe to cap a 9-0 Pitt run to grab a 30-18 lead at the under four media timeout.
The Panthers capped off the half on an 18-2 run to take a 39-20 lead into the break. Pitt held the Keydets without a field goal over the final 5:55 of the half and just 19.4 percent (6-of-31) shooting in the opening 20 minutes of action.
Corhen paced the offense with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting, while Leggett went 4-of-5 and added nine points before the break. Pitt went just 2-of-13 (.154) from beyond the arc, while scoring 29 of its 39 first half points in the paint and at the foul line.
Leggett and Guillermo Diaz Graham hit from beyond the arc on consecutive possession to cap off an 8-0 Pitt run and force a VMI timeout with the Panthers leading 49-25 with 16:58 remaining.
Pitt pushed the lead to 28 on a Brandin Cummings three from the top of the key with 11:58 remaining and Dunn added a triple of his own late in the shot clock for a 66-37 lead a short time later.
The Panthers continued to pour it on with a strong second half shooting effort going 13-of-20 (.650) from the field and taking a 33-point lead into the under eight media timeout following a three by Amsal Delalić.
Jorge Diaz Graham knocked down four three-point field goals in the final 7:07 of play with his fourth three of the half coming at the 1:22 mark off a feed from Lowe as the sophomore guard secured a triple-double with his 10th assist of the night. Pitt made 15 of its final 17 shots of the game as it cruised to a 93-48 victory.
Holmstrom led the Keydets with 15 points, while TJ Johnson added 12. Pitt held VMI leading scorer Augustinas Kiudulas to just six points, 15.8 points below his season average on the season.
TALE OF TWO HALVES FROM THE FIELD
After shooting under 40 percent from the field in the opening half, Pitt caught fire after halftime. The Panthers made 11 consecutive field goal attempts from 11:58 to 4:28 and shot a blistering 71.0 percent (22-of-31) from the field in the second half of play. Pitt was 10-of-15 (.667) from three-point range as Jorge Diaz Graham went 4-of-4 from beyond the arc after halftime.
LOCKDOWN D
The Pitt defense set the tone Monday evening forcing VMI to miss its first seven shots of the game as well as its final nine attempts in the first half. The Panthers held VMI to 19.4 percent (6-of-31) in the opening half and 25.0 percent (15-of-60) shooting for the game. The Keydets were held to just 48 points after entering the night averaging 86.4 points per game.
FIVE FOR FIVE
Pitt has now won each of the first five games of the season by 15 or more points, marking the first time it has accomplished that feat since winning the first seven games of the 2013-14 season in such a manner. The Panthers also won the first five games of the season for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
ON THE BREAK
Pitt outscored VMI 15-0 on fast break points in the first half and 27-0 for the game.
400 AND COUNTING
Monday’s contest marked the 400th Pitt basketball game at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers are 309-91 (.773) all-time at the venue, including a 180-18 (.909) mark in non-conference play.
UP NEXT
Pitt travels to White Sulphur Spring, W.V. to two games in the Greenbrier Tip-Off. The Panthers face LSU Friday, Nov. 22 (2:30 p.m. – CBS Sports Network) and will play either UCF or Wisconsin Sunday, Nov. 24 (3 p.m./5:30 p.m. – CBS Sports Network).
