Panthers crush three opponents

When a team scores 54 points in the first half of a basketball game and hits 57 percent of… When a team scores 54 points in the first half of a basketball game and hits 57 percent of its three-point shots, it’s enough to leave the opposing coach speechless.

“I don’t know if there’s anything to say,” Norfolk State head coach Dwight Freeman said following Tuesday’s matchup against the Panthers.

Pitt’s men’s basketball team opened a substantial lead early in a game for the first time this season and easily defeated the Spartans 96-51 at the Petersen Events Center to improve to 4-0 on the year.

“It was a very good performance and by far our best game of the year,” Pitt head coach Ben Howland said.

The scoring came early and often for the Panthers as they connected on eight-of-14 three-pointers and 21 of 33 total field goals. Brandin Knight and Jaron Brown opened the game with back-to-back baskets from behind the arc to begin an offensive explosion that would leave the Spartans in a 39-point deficit at the half.

“They shot the ball extremely well in the first half,” Freeman said. “We expected them to shoot [three-pointers] but we didn’t expect them to make them.”

“It was a great first half for us, we had 21 baskets and 19 of them were assisted,” Howland said. “It’s about as good as you can play.”

Pitt continued to dominate in the second half, although it made just four three-point attempts. The Panthers took their largest lead of the game, 50 points, with 5:16 left in the game on a basket by Carl Krauser.

Julius Page had a game-high 16 points to lead the Panthers while Chevon Troutman chipped in with 14. Donatas Zavackas, who fouled out with just more than nine minutes left in the game, exited with 13 points and eight rebounds.

“This is a very unselfish team, everyone’s making the extra pass,” Howland said about his team’s tendency to spread the scoring around.

Ontario Lett provided a solid game off the bench, coming up just short of the double double with 13 points and nine rebounds.

“Tonight I just made shots I’ve been missing the past three games,” Lett said.

Freeman said his team will use the game as a learning experience, as its goal is to advance to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament. For the Panthers, it was a chance to prepare for Saturday’s game at rival Penn State, with tip-off scheduled for 1 p.m.

“We came out with more focus,” Page said. “We have to stay focused on what we have to do.”

Pitt 89, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 49

Five Panthers scored in the double digits as Pitt defeated the Golden Lions Saturday night at the Pete. Troutman led Pitt with 15 points while Page added 14 and Brown chipped in with 13.

Zavackas picked up a game-high 11 rebounds and Knight dished out eight assists.

The Panthers led just 37-30 at the half but 54 percent shooting in the second half and just 19 points by Arkansas-Pine Bluff opened up a significant Pitt lead.

Pitt 69, St. Francis (Pa.) 46

Pitt improved to 2-0 on the season when it defeated the Red Flash last Wednesday night before a crowd of 8,686 at the Pete.

Krauser led the Panthers with 13 points and Page added 11. Knight and Brown each connected for 10 points. Knight also picked up eight rebounds and nine assists, coming close to registering the triple double.

St. Francis’ Erick Wills recorded a game-high 17 points while teammate Darshan Luckey contributed 14.