Panthers’ defense stifles Buffalo

Sometimes Sam Young likes to go up to the Petersen Events Center late at night and shoot… Sometimes Sam Young likes to go up to the Petersen Events Center late at night and shoot around.

Normally, he says he’s alone, but lately Keith Benjamin has beaten him to the floor, ball handling, shooting, honing his skills alongside his teammate.

Pitt’s game against Buffalo Friday night looked strikingly similar.

Young and Benjamin combined for 37 points and seven steals, leading a quick and aggressive Pitt to a 92-45 blowout victory.

“He’s a very skilled player who only wants to make himself better,” Young said of Benjamin, “which is the kind of work ethic this whole team has.”

It shows in Young’s outstanding early-season performances. Young scored a game-high 20 points. He’s scored in double figures each game this season. But he also blocked four shots and accounted for three steals, making his presence on defense equally felt – especially for Pitt coach Jamie Dixon.

“I’m more impressed with his leadership on the court than I am with any numbers he puts on the stat sheet,” Dixon said. “Sam may be somewhat quiet, but he’s been very vocal on the defensive end, directing traffic and getting other players where they need to be. That demonstrates not only his understanding of our defense, but also his maturity and willingness to be a leader.”

The Panthers in general exhibited a looser defense that created 25 turnovers, 16 of which were steals, and most of which led to countless fast breaks and definitive scores – seemingly different from the grind-you-down defense Pitt has patented.

“This defense was something we’ve played before,” Dixon said. “Given their sets, it seemed like something that could be very effective. It takes good quickness to play defense like that, and that’s something we have this year.”

Buffalo coach Reggie Witherspoon noticed that as well. His team scared Pitt in Buffalo last year, barely losing 70-67, so something aside from home-court advantage must have been different this time.

“They are much quicker than they were before,” Witherspoon said. “With [Ronald] Ramon and [Levance] Fields playing together, and Sam Young playing at the 4, I was not surprised at their aggressiveness. They are such a quick team that even if they are not trying to be aggressive, they still will be.”

That translates to offense as well. After Buffalo scored the first two buckets, Pitt went on a 22-0 run that put the game out of Buffalo’s reach before the first 10 minutes expired.

Pitt mixed a combination of transition and half-court offense, getting 31 fast-break points and 46 points in the paint. Fields had seven of Pitt’s 21 assists on 34 baskets and added 15 points to a Pitt team that shot 50.7 percent from the field.

“What really stood out to me tonight was our unselfishness,” Dixon said. “Throughout the whole game, even at the end, we were making the extra pass, trying to hit the open man and just do what we could to make sure we got the best shot possible.”

Young benefitted the most, converting 8 of 11 from the field. But Benjamin, coming off the bench, had his most productive night of the young season, shooting 6 for 8 overall and 3 for 4 from 3-point range.

“We want to get him in the game as quickly as possible and he understands that,” Dixon said. “Keith is a guy we look to as an example for doing things the right way. We have six guys on this team who we look to for leadership and Keith is definitely one of them.”

NOTES – Pitt was the third Big East team Buffalo played in its first five games. The Bulls lost to Connecticut and beat South Florida.