Pitt Storms Back to beat NIU 59-50
PITTSBURGH, PA – Trey McGowens scored 18 points as Pitt held off upset-minded Northern Illinois 59-50 on Monday night.
“First and foremost, I’m proud of our guys. It was a hard-fought win.”Said Pitt head coach Jeff Capel “I thought we were lethargic for a good part of the game. We looked like a team that just finished exams and hadn’t been in competition since Louisville. I’m really proud of the fact that we were able to find something in the last eight minutes. That gave us energy and helped us figure out a way to win when we weren’t at our best.”
Pitt trailed at halftime and for more than 25 minutes of the contest but came through late when McGowens hit a 3-pointer from the Pitt logo at the center of the court to put the Panthers up by seven points with under a minute to play.
McGowens finished 7 of 13 from the floor and 4 of 8 from 3-point range, where he was the only Panthers player to make a basket. The rest of Pitt’s players were 0 for 9.
“He’s a good player and we need him to be a good player.” Capel said of McGowens, who didn’t start the game. “We need him to be confident in him all the time and not get down on himself, and to know that we have confidence in him to do things and play the right way. That’s not just him, that’s everyone. Not starting McGowens wasn’t any drawn out thing or whatever, it’s just what I thought was best for our team today. So, that’s what we did. He started the second half, and I thought he was terrific.”
The Huskies built a lead, thanks to the play of senior guard Eugene German, who scored 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting and was 4 of 12 from behind – and at times way behind – the 3-point arc. Northern Illinois shot 40% from 3-point range.
“Northern Illinois, I think, is a dangerous team because of Eugene German.” Said Capel “He can really score, and he does it in such a unique way. He shoots it from deep, he can drive it, and he has total freedom.”
NIU extended its lead to seven in the second half before Pitt head coach Jeff Capel switched to a matchup zone that shut down the Huskies’ offense. Pitt (8-3) finished the game on a 15-0 run over the final 6:11 and the Huskies (6-5) missed their final 11 field goal attempts.
“I’m proud of us, I’m proud of our guys, and I’m proud of the fact that we were able to figure out how to win and be sitting here 8-3.”-Said Capel.
BIG PICTURE
NIU: German considered leaving Northern Illinois for the NBA Draft after his junior year. When he’s been presented with top competition as a senior with the Huskies, he’s taken advantage. German scored 24 points and had six assists in a Northern Illinois loss to Iowa State earlier this season, and he came through with another strong performance against the Panthers.
Pitt: The Panthers gave up just 50 points for the second time this season. On the year, Pitt has held opponents to 60 points or less six times and is giving up just 54.7 points per contest over the last six games.
UP NEXT
Northern Illinois: Finishes a season-long four-game road win with a trip to Chicago State. The Huskies are 2-4 on the road this season, compared with 4-1 at home.
Pitt: Continues its four-game homestand by hosting Binghamton on Friday. Pitt has never lost to a member of the America East Conference.
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