Pitt men’s basketball beats Cal 72-56, keeps hopes of making the ACC tournament alive

The Panthers put together a full 40 minutes on Saturday and got a much-needed win against a talented Golden Bears team that has NCAA tournament potential.

“I thought we did a lot of good things on both sides of the basketball today,” Pitt head coach Jeff Capel said after the Panthers 72-56 win over Cal on Saturday.

Solid defensive pressure from the tip-off 

In sunny California, the Panthers got off to a hot start — jumping out to a 5-0 advantage — and did not look back. Never trailing, Pitt imposed its presence on the defensive end and turned turnovers into points. Cal suffered 16 turnovers from efficient double teams and help defense from a united Pitt squad. Defensive pressure from Pitt made it difficult for Cal to find an offensive rhythm and rattled the home crowd inside of Haas Pavilion. 

“I thought we were active defensively. I thought our guys did a good job of understanding our game plan,” Capel said. 

Along with creating turnovers, the Panthers made it challenging for Cal to get clean looks. The Golden Bears, usually a dangerous three-point shooting team, shot 22.7% from beyond the arc on Saturday, well below their season average of 36.7%. Additionally, they shot just 1-of-13 from deep in the second half. The Panthers did not make anything easy for Cal and made it earn every point.

Unselfishness created easy baskets for Pitt

The Panthers moved the ball offensively and created open shots. Pitt finished the game with 14 assists and embraced the scoring-by-committee approach. Fifth-year guard Damarco Minor and sophomore guard Nojus Indrušaitis tallied 13 and 16 points, respectively. Senior center Cameron Corhen also added 16 points, and senior forward Barry Dunning Jr. chipped in 15 points. 

“I thought we really passed the ball well,” Capel said.

The Panthers went 13-16 from the free-throw line against Cal. Missed free throws have plagued the Panthers in numerous games this season, but the respectable stat line against Cal could catalyze better free-throw shooting down the stretch.

What’s next for Pitt

Pitt will play two high pressure games this week with an appearance in the ACC tournament hanging in the balance. The Panthers play their final home game of the season against Florida State on Wed., March 4 at 9 p.m. The final regular season game is on Saturday, March 7, at 4:30 p.m. 

15 of the 18 teams make it to the ACC tournament. The Panthers are currently in the 16th position.