Pitt men’s basketball falls in Backyard Brawl 81-56

Despite a competitive first half, Pitt men’s basketball fell to the West Virginia Mountaineers 81-56 on Friday. The two new-look programs met at the Petersen Events Center for the out-of-conference game. Pitt Athletics reported an attendance of 10,827 for the game. 

Graduate-student guard Greg Elliot scored 12 points in the first four minutes of the game, sparking the Pitt offense early. But Elliot cooled off, not scoring another point after his initial hot-streak. 

Junior forward Blake Hinson — who shot 50% from the field and scored 27 points against UT Martin earlier in the week — couldn’t get his shots to fall either. He shot 1-6 from beyond the arc. As a team, the Panthers struggled with their three-point shots. They shot 5-23 from three, shooting 0-11 in the second half. But West Virginia’s offense clicked, shooting over 60% in the first half to keep the pressure on Pitt.

While the Panthers kept themselves within 11 points of the Mountaineers going into the half, the wheels fell off in the second period. The Mountaineers gashed the Panthers’ defense. West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins schemed up plenty of plays to beat Pitt’s defense. 

The Panthers have the weekend to rest up before taking the road for the Legends Classic tournament. Pitt will take on the Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The game will air on ESPNU.