Panthers survive Pirate scare

Chevon Troutman had had enough.

After watching visiting Seton Hall use a 24-3 run to take a… Chevon Troutman had had enough.

After watching visiting Seton Hall use a 24-3 run to take a seven-point lead with 5 seconds, 12 seconds remaining, the senior rallied Pitt for a 67-63 victory Saturday afternoon in the Petersen Events Center, scoring seven of his game-high 23 in that span.

“We just grit it out and battled, once again being down [but] not giving up,” head coach Jamie Dixon said. “That’s the best thing about a team, and that’s just what they did. Chevy obviously has done it before, but this was the top of the list as far as big plays.”

The Pirates (8-6 overall, 0-3 Big East) took a 58-51 lead on two free throws by reserve guard Jamar Nutter before Troutman took over on both ends of the court. He immediately went down the court and posted up Seton Hall forward Kelly Whitney. Troutman spun around Whitney and hit a layup while being fouled. The ensuing free throw cut the Pirate lead to four.

On Seton Hall’s next possession, Troutman stole the ball and brought it down the court for the Panthers (12-2, 2-1). He blocked a shot a minute later with Pitt trailing 60-57 to lead a fast-break that would end with a Chris Taft basket. Posting up Whitney again resulted in another three-point play for Troutman to give Pitt a 62-60 lead.

The Pirates regained the lead on a long 3-pointer from freshman Justin Cerasoli, who scored a game-high 15 points. Undaunted, Troutman responded with a third three-point play on the other end, grabbing an offensive rebound and drawing the fifth foul on Whitney. Seton Hall’s attempt at tying the game was also stolen away by Troutman, who hit a free throw to extend the Panther lead, one which they would hold.

While the offensive rebound was only the ninth of the game for Pitt, as opposed to the Pirates’ 12, it came at an opportune time, one that didn’t surprise point guard Carl Krauser.

“[Troutman] is an animal; he’s a beast,” Krauser, who scored nine points, said. “He has a great knack for the ball on the rebounding side, and he comes through in a clutch.”

The win, which ended a two-game home losing streak for Pitt, was a physical bout as the teams combined for 46 fouls. Troutman was one of few Panthers in foul trouble, and his defensive efforts helped limit the Pirates to three points over the final 3:53, efforts Dixon felt were just as important to the victory as his scoring.

“He made every big play. I think offensively he was a big part of it. But I think the defensive plays were just how you should play,” he said. “He continually helped and came up with the steal. That’s what has made him what he is. As far as performance down the stretch, it has to be one of the best.”

“[Troutman] is tough, and he’s a senior. [He’s] won a lot of games,” Seton Hall coach Louis Orr said. “I have a lot of respect for him. I think he’s one of the best all-around players in our league. The buckets they got, they earned. Troutman and Taft, they’re tough; size is always good.”

Troutman’s performance was complemented inside by sophomore Chris Taft’s 14-point, seven-rebound, five-block night. The combination of Taft and Troutman, the only two Panthers to score double figures, helped Pitt build a 14-point lead in the second half. Turnovers, missed shots and defensive lapses, which plagued Pitt in its two home losses to Bucknell and Georgetown, allowed Seton Hall to creep back into the game.

“We had some turnovers, and they made some shots. It was a combination of things,” Dixon said. “We have to recognize that it comes down to decisions. We knew they weren’t done and that they were going to battle back. That’s a part of Big East play and what we’re used to.”

Pitt took a 38-28 lead at halftime when Taft scored on a layup right before the buzzer. A 3-pointer by Troutman six minutes into the second half gave Pitt its largest lead of the game, 48-34. Pirate forward John Allen scored Seton Hall’s next two baskets and two Pirate 3-pointers, with a Taft lay-up between them, and cut the lead to 51-46 with 9:06 remaining. On the day, the Panthers gave up 12 offensive rebounds and turned the ball over 13 times.

A close shot by Andre Sweet gave Seton Hall its first lead since the first half. Pitt turned the ball over on two of its next three possessions, committing two fouls in between. Layups by Sweet and Allen extended the Pirate advantage to 56-51 with 5:24 remaining, more than four minutes after the last Panther points.

Nutter’s free throws came only moments later, setting the stage for the Troutman-led comeback as the Panthers started to show the kind of resiliency that Dixon said his team is going to need the rest of the Big East season.

“Our guys are getting better at recognizing situations and making decisions at the end of the game,” Dixon said. “It was a great finish to what we’re trying to do. We’re going to continue to look at things to improve.”

Pitt will travel to Madison Square Garden for a contest with St. John’s (6-7, 0-3) tonight.