Biggs leads the way for undefeated Pitt

South Florida’s basketball team arrived late to the Petersen Events Center last night because of… South Florida’s basketball team arrived late to the Petersen Events Center last night because of the poor weather conditions. Tyrell Biggs made the Bulls pay for their tardiness. The senior forward scored seven of Pitt’s first 12 points on his way to a season-high 16 as the Panthers prevailed against tougher-than-expected South Florida 75-62. Biggs started the scoring with a layup off an offensive rebound and took off from there. ‘I felt like the rebound and layup I had just got me going at first,’ said Biggs. ‘There were a couple easy buckets after that. It was just flowing tonight.’ ‘He knocked down shots early,’ said Pitt coach Jamie Dixon. ‘He was around the basket, he’s finishing around the rim so much better. He’s given us, I want to say solid play, but that’s almost underestimating what he’s done for us.’ The start of the game was delayed about 20 minutes, as the Bulls didn’t even make it onto the court to warm up for the first time until 6:45 p.m., 15 minutes before the intended tip-off. The delay didn’t seem to affect the Panthers offensively, as they went 10-of-18 from 3-point range. But South Florida also shot well and gave Pitt all it could handle. With just more than 16 minutes remaining, the Bulls trailed by just three. That’s when Pitt pulled away. ‘They’re awfully good,’ said South Florida coach Stan Heath. ‘They taught us a lesson on the glass and how to get it.’ Pitt outrebounded its counterpart 37-23. DeJuan Blair and Levance Fields each notched double-doubles for No. 1 Pitt (16-0, 4-0 Big East). Blair finished with 13 points and 18 rebounds, while Fields added 11 points and a career-high 13 assists to only one turnover. ‘Fields is just such a floor general out there,’ said Heath. ‘The way he runs the team and doesn’t make a mistake [is impressive].’ Dixon agreed. ‘Just great decisions all the way through,’ said Dixon. Sam Young contributed 14 points and went 3-of-6 from outside. Dominique Jones and Augustus Gilchrist totaled 22 points for South Florida (6-10, 1-3 Big East). Junior Chris Howard, who attended the same high school as Young, chipped in 13 points. But the rest of the Bulls combined for only five points. Pitt’s defense limited South Florida senior Jesus Verdejo to only two points on 0-of-7 shooting. The Panthers shot out to a 10-2 advantage, culminated by a 3-pointer from Biggs. Biggs finished going 7 for 10 from the field. South Florida struck back behind some effective jump shooting. Jones and Gilchrist connected on 3-pointers during an 8-0 run to tie the game 18-18. Just as quickly, Pitt scored seven straight. But the pesky Bulls refused to be intimidated by the No. 1 team in the country. A 7-0 run of their own knotted the score at 30 with 4:41 left in the half. Three-pointers on two straight possessions, including one by Fields as the shot clock expired, pushed the Panthers to a 41-37 halftime advantage. South Florida drained more tough shots to start the half, but an 8-0 run capped by a Brad Wanamaker 3-pointer gave Pitt its first double-digit advantage of the night, and Pitt led 55-44. Howard hit a 3-pointer of his own to pull the Bulls within nine at 62-53, but an ensuing 11-4 Pitt run ensured that the Panthers would remain unbeaten.