PITTSBURGH – Pitt shot 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from the field in the second half and outscored visiting Syracuse by 18 points after halftime en route to an 80-69 win at the Petersen Events Center Tuesday night. Ishmael Leggett and Zack Austin each made three three-pointers and scored 19 points, apiece, as the Panthers improved to 16-10 overall and 7-8 in the ACC.
Leggett made all three of his threes in the second half, while adding seven rebounds and three assists on the night. Austin put in work on both ends of the floor going 8-of-10 from the field (3-of-4 from three) and added four rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. Jaland Lowe scored an efficient 17 points and freshman guard Brandin Cummings contributed 11 points for his third consecutive double-figure scoring game.
Syracuse hit three consecutive threes during an 11-0 run to pull ahead 22-6 before Pitt responded with a 7-0 run to pull to 22-13 with 8:50 remaining.
The Orange used the three-point line to take a 41-34 lead into the half as Chris Bell came off the bench to make four of Syracuse’s nine triples in the opening 20 minutes. Syracuse shot 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from beyond the arc and outscored the Panthers by 15 points from long distance in the first half.
Austin helped the Panthers cut into a deficit that was as much as 16 points. He went 4-of-4 from the field to score nine points, while making his presence felt on defense with three steals and two blocks.
The Panthers opened the second half with inspiring play on both ends of the floor making six of their first nine field goal attempts to tie the game at 51 on a Lowe steal and score with 13:15 remaining.
Pitt grabbed its first lead of the game, 58-56, with a Leggett wing three in front of the Panther bench with 9:28 remaining. Cameron Corhen scored in traffic and Austin pinned a Syracuse layup attempt on the glass before Leggett extended the Pitt run to 10-0 with another wing three to force an Orange timeout as Pitt pulled ahead 63-56 with 8:27 left in the game.
Cummings answered a Bell three with a tough and-one finish as Pitt carried the seven-point advantage into the final six minutes of action. Bell hit another three to trim the Syracuse deficit to 68-62 with 5:07 remaining but the Pitt defense tightened to hold the Orange without a field goal and to just two points over the next four minutes of action.
Pitt went 6-of-7 from the foul line during that stretch and led 78-64 with just under a minute remaining in the contest.
Bell finished 7-of-12 from three-point range and led the Orange with 23 points. J.J. Starling added 14 points as Leggett hounded him into a 5-of-15 shooting night that also featured a game-high five turnovers.
SECOND HALF SUCCESS
Pitt trailed by 11 early in the second half before recovering to outscore Syracuse, 46-24, over the final 19 minutes of the game. The Panthers were 6-of-10 from three-point range in the second half, while limited Syracuse to just 5-of-17 (.294) shooting from beyond the arc. Leggett (13), Austin (10), and Lowe (10) combined for 33 of Pitt’s 46 second half points.
Pitt also did a terrific job on the glass outrebounding Syracuse, 19-11, after halftime.
OUR HOUSE; OUR PAINT
The Panthers controlled the interior with a 28-14 edge in points in the paint. Pitt also had a 14-8 advantage in second chance points as they came away with 11 offensive rebounds.
Pitt held the Orange to just 9-of-27 (.333) shooting from inside the three-point line, while posting eight blocked shots.
A REAL G
Guillermo Diaz Graham provided a strong all-around effort with eight points, eight rebounds, three assists, and four blocked shots. He knocked down a pair of three-point field goals and was a part of a post-tandem that helped limit Eddie Lampkin to seven points and six rebounds.
UP NEXT
Pitt is on the road to face Notre Dame Saturday, Feb. 22. Tipoff from the Joyce Center is set for 2:15 p.m.
