Panthers top Friars, 67-59

Brandin Knight always steps up his game when the team needs him to.

He scored 15 points -… Brandin Knight always steps up his game when the team needs him to.

He scored 15 points – with 11 coming in the first half – four assists and contributed five steals in the No. 5 Panthers’ 67-59 victory over the Providence Friars in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament Thursday.

Knight led the charge late in the second half as his layup fueled Pitt’s 9-0 run that put it on top for good. Junior guard Julius Page followed with a field goal and Donatas Zavackas hit a three-pointer, putting the Panthers up 56-51.

“It would mean a lot [to win the Big East Championship], but I want to win every game,” Knight said.

Chevon Troutman’s presence was missed as Providence outrebounded Pitt 29-25, but the Panthers made up for it by forcing 18 turnovers, nine of them steals. Troutman was out with an ankle sprain.

“They killed us on the boards. Not having Chevy [Troutman] is a big factor,” associate head coach Jamie Dixon said. “We have to pick up things like that [rebounding].”

Pitt’s foul shooting, which has been its Achilles’ heel this season, helped put the Friars away. The Panthers converted 10-of-11 foul shots in the last 2 minutes, 50 seconds of the game. Again Knight led the way as he hit the first two foul shots of the stretch.

Brown made one-of-two from the charity stripe and Zavackas hit four of the Panthers’ last six foul shots. Carl Krauser finished the game with two foul shots of his own, giving Pitt a 67-59 lead and leaving Providence to run out the remaining five seconds of the game.

The Panthers trailed for most of the first half, but were able to regain the lead with approximately 50 seconds left in the half.

Page drove the lane in traffic, laid it in and was fouled. He knocked down the free throw, giving Pitt a 31-30 lead at the half.

It was a slow first half but Pitt came on strong in the last 10 minutes of the half. Providence drew first blood when it scored the first basket. Brown knotted the game at two with a put back off Page’s missed three-point attempt.

Knight gave Pitt its first lead of the game with back-to-back baskets from beyond the arc and the Panthers briefly led 12-9 at the 12-minute-18-second mark.

The score continued to go back and forth as Knight and Providence’s Donnie McGrath each traded two three-pointers apiece before the Friars opened up a 17-12 lead.

Pitt proceeded to go on a 7-2 run in which Brown connected on a layup, Knight scored off his second steal of the half and Page knocked down a three, giving the Panthers their second lead of the game at 19-17.

Like Pitt’s first lead, this lead would be short-lived as Providence went on a 13-6 run, which made the score 30-25 in favor the Friars going into the closing minutes of the first half. Knight ignited a 6-0 run for the Panthers at the end of the half, hitting a three-pointer, which was followed by Page’s basket and foul shot.

Providence forward Ryan Gomes came out hot in the second half although he was held to just four points in the first half. Gomes scored the Friars’ first four points of the half.

“Zavackas did a great job forcing Gomes off the block. He couldn’t get shots off right away,” head coach Ben Howland said.

Much like the first half, the score continued to see-saw. The Friars’ last lead was 51-49 before Pitt regained the lead for good.

Zavackas led the Panthers with 16 points and Brown contributed 13 points. McGrath led the Friars with 17 points.

Pitt shot 45 percent from both the field and three-point range and 80 percent from the free-throw line. The Friars had a 34 percent field goal percentage, 39 percent three-point percentage and shot 86 percent from the charity stripe.

The Panthers are in action tonight in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament when they face Boston College at 7 p.m. on ESPN.