In the 130th all-time meeting between the Panthers and the Orange, Pitt edged out Syracuse 71-69 in an overtime thriller at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday night.
A game of runs
Pitt jumped out to a 20-11 lead in the first nine minutes of game time but struggled to sustain offensive production. The Panthers scored only eight points in the last eleven minutes of the first half. After 20 minutes, the score was 31-28 Syracuse.
The Panthers came out of intermission ready to play. Pitt went on a 12-0 run and went up 47-37, although the Orange went on a 10-0 run themselves. Pitt was able to hang around. The game was tied 65-65 at the end of the second half. The Panthers outscored the Orange 6-4 in overtime and won the game 71-69.
Toughness and grit
The Panthers knew a spot in the ACC tournament was at stake on Saturday night and played their tails off. The Panthers out-rebounded the Orange 39 to 35. The effort on the glass translated into 12 second-chance points for Pitt.
Overtime on the road is not easy. The Panthers made Syracuse work for every look they got and allowed few easy shots in the final five minutes.
Clutch players in clutch moments
Senior guard/forward Barry Dunning Jr. was instrumental in the Panthers’ win, hitting a clutch three-point shot with 1:37 remaining in the game that put the Panthers up 65-63. Dunning Jr. finished with 17 points. Fifth-year guard Damarco Minor, who has a flair for the dramatic, made a contested jumper, and sophomore guard Nojus Indrušaitis provided the Panthers with four points in the overtime period. Indrušaitis finished with 16 points.
Cameron Corhen dominates offensively
The senior center was a match-up problem for Syracuse. Corhen was effective in the paint, post and from the three-point line, using his physicality to gain separation from defenders. The Allen, Texas, native finished with 21 points and served as a dependable player for head coach Jeff Capel down the stretch. The Panthers will rely on Corhen’s experience and toughness in the ACC tournament.
What’s next for the Panthers
With the win, the Panthers have earned a spot in the ACC tournament as the No. 15 seed. Pitt will play No. 10 Stanford in Charlotte, North Carolina, at 2 p.m. this Tuesday, March 10.