Pitt broke a four-game losing streak with a much-needed win on Saturday when the Panthers took out Miami 74-65 at the Petersen Events Center:
Teams: Pitt (15-10, 6-8 ACC) vs. Miami (6-19, 2-12 ACC)
Stat leaders:
Ishmael Leggett - 21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
Cam Corhen - 17 points, 8 rebounds
Zack Austin - 11 points, 10 rebounds
Lynn Kidd (Miami) - 16 points, 15 rebounds
Life without Lowe and Dunn
Pitt was missing two of its top guards on Saturday, and could be for the foreseeable future. Senior Damian Dunn missed his second consecutive game with a left elbow injury and sophomore Jaland Lowe missed the game after suffering a concussion in Tuesday’s loss at SMU.
Pitt coach Jeff Capel said after the game that Dunn will miss the rest of the season, but he is hopeful Lowe will be available for Tuesday’s game against Syracuse at the Petersen Events Center.
New lineup
With Lowe and Dunn out of the mix, Pitt’s starting lineup consisted of Brandin Cummings, Ishmael Leggett, Zack Austin, Guillermo Diaz Graham and Cam Corhen. The big change there was Cummings, who made his second career start (the first came in Pitt’s win over Cal).
The freshman from Midland finished with 11 points, three rebounds and four assists with three turnovers in 33 minutes played.
Delalic’s role
The other impact of missing Dunn and Lowe, from a minutes perspective, came in Amsal Delalic’s workload. The freshman wing/guard from Bosnia & Herzegovina played 28 minutes, the second-most playing time he has seen this season (he logged 37 minutes in the overtime win at Ohio State in November).
More notable that Delalic’s minutes, though, was his impact. He scored a career-high 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including his first made field goal since Jan. 4 and his first game with multiple made baskets since Dec. 21. Entering Saturday, Delalic had made one basket against ACC opponents.
Delalic didn’t just score on Saturday. He also had two rebounds and one assist while working in multiple roles, working both on the wing and as the primary ball-handler at point guard.
Leggett’s best game in awhile
Ishmael Leggett has been one of Pitt’s top scorers all season, but Saturday was one of the best games he has had. The senior guard put up this third double-double of the season and the seventh of his career with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and it might have been one of the most efficient games he has played. Leggett shot 6-of-11, marking the third time he has shot better than 50% in an ACC game this season.
Corhen’s most active game
Cam Corhen put up 17 points and eight rebounds in the win on Saturday; that was the 16th double-figure scoring game of the season, but it was also just the third time in 14 ACC games that he recorded at least eight rebounds. Corhen also got his scoring on 7-of-15 shooting; that was the most field goals he has attempted all season, and it matched his season high for shots made.
Sticking with four
At the 17:29 mark of the second half, Delalic subbed in for Guillermo Diaz Graham. Delalic, Cummings, Leggett and Austin played the entire rest of the game. The only subs Capel made in the final 17 minutes were Papa Amadou Kante for Corhen on a few occasions, and Guillermo Diaz Graham coming in for offense when Miami was fouling at the end.
Ball movement
Pitt recorded 15 assists on 25 made field goals; that tied for the third-most assists in an ACC game this season. The Panthers had 17 assists in their loss to Clemson and 16 in the win over Cal and the loss at SMU.
Keeping it close in the first 20 minutes
One major issue for Pitt this season has been the Panthers’ tendency to fall behind by significant amounts in the first half. They trailed by at least nine in the first half of 10 of their 13 ACC games coming into Saturday, and they were down by double digits in seven of those 10.
Pitt also led Miami 32-30 at halftime - the Panthers’ first halftime lead since the loss at Wake Forest two weeks ago. The only other time Pitt held a halftime lead in an ACC game was the Panthers’ win over Stanford in early January.
Big leads
When Leggett made two free throws at the 9:53 mark of the second half, Pitt’s lead grew to 10 points at 53-43. That was the Panthers’ biggest lead in an ACC game this season since they were up 21 on Stanford in early January. Pitt’s lead eventually grew to 12 points before Saturday’s game ended.
Pitt has had double-digit leads in just three ACC games this season: the New Year’s Day win over Cal, the win over Stanford and Saturday’s win over Miami.
Improved defense
Miami is one of the least-productive three-point shooting teams in the ACC, but the Hurricanes didn't look like it in the first half when they shot 6-of-15 from deep. Pitt's defense got Miami back in line in the second half, holding the Hurricanes to 2-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Up next
Pitt will try to build a winning streak on Tuesday night when the Panthers welcome Syracuse, who is 11-14 overall and 5-9 in the ACC entering a game against North Carolina.
Teams: Pitt (15-10, 6-8 ACC) vs. Miami (6-19, 2-12 ACC)
Stat leaders:
Ishmael Leggett - 21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
Cam Corhen - 17 points, 8 rebounds
Zack Austin - 11 points, 10 rebounds
Lynn Kidd (Miami) - 16 points, 15 rebounds
Life without Lowe and Dunn
Pitt was missing two of its top guards on Saturday, and could be for the foreseeable future. Senior Damian Dunn missed his second consecutive game with a left elbow injury and sophomore Jaland Lowe missed the game after suffering a concussion in Tuesday’s loss at SMU.
Pitt coach Jeff Capel said after the game that Dunn will miss the rest of the season, but he is hopeful Lowe will be available for Tuesday’s game against Syracuse at the Petersen Events Center.
New lineup
With Lowe and Dunn out of the mix, Pitt’s starting lineup consisted of Brandin Cummings, Ishmael Leggett, Zack Austin, Guillermo Diaz Graham and Cam Corhen. The big change there was Cummings, who made his second career start (the first came in Pitt’s win over Cal).
The freshman from Midland finished with 11 points, three rebounds and four assists with three turnovers in 33 minutes played.
Delalic’s role
The other impact of missing Dunn and Lowe, from a minutes perspective, came in Amsal Delalic’s workload. The freshman wing/guard from Bosnia & Herzegovina played 28 minutes, the second-most playing time he has seen this season (he logged 37 minutes in the overtime win at Ohio State in November).
More notable that Delalic’s minutes, though, was his impact. He scored a career-high 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including his first made field goal since Jan. 4 and his first game with multiple made baskets since Dec. 21. Entering Saturday, Delalic had made one basket against ACC opponents.
Delalic didn’t just score on Saturday. He also had two rebounds and one assist while working in multiple roles, working both on the wing and as the primary ball-handler at point guard.
Leggett’s best game in awhile
Ishmael Leggett has been one of Pitt’s top scorers all season, but Saturday was one of the best games he has had. The senior guard put up this third double-double of the season and the seventh of his career with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and it might have been one of the most efficient games he has played. Leggett shot 6-of-11, marking the third time he has shot better than 50% in an ACC game this season.
Corhen’s most active game
Cam Corhen put up 17 points and eight rebounds in the win on Saturday; that was the 16th double-figure scoring game of the season, but it was also just the third time in 14 ACC games that he recorded at least eight rebounds. Corhen also got his scoring on 7-of-15 shooting; that was the most field goals he has attempted all season, and it matched his season high for shots made.
Sticking with four
At the 17:29 mark of the second half, Delalic subbed in for Guillermo Diaz Graham. Delalic, Cummings, Leggett and Austin played the entire rest of the game. The only subs Capel made in the final 17 minutes were Papa Amadou Kante for Corhen on a few occasions, and Guillermo Diaz Graham coming in for offense when Miami was fouling at the end.
Ball movement
Pitt recorded 15 assists on 25 made field goals; that tied for the third-most assists in an ACC game this season. The Panthers had 17 assists in their loss to Clemson and 16 in the win over Cal and the loss at SMU.
Keeping it close in the first 20 minutes
One major issue for Pitt this season has been the Panthers’ tendency to fall behind by significant amounts in the first half. They trailed by at least nine in the first half of 10 of their 13 ACC games coming into Saturday, and they were down by double digits in seven of those 10.
Pitt also led Miami 32-30 at halftime - the Panthers’ first halftime lead since the loss at Wake Forest two weeks ago. The only other time Pitt held a halftime lead in an ACC game was the Panthers’ win over Stanford in early January.
Big leads
When Leggett made two free throws at the 9:53 mark of the second half, Pitt’s lead grew to 10 points at 53-43. That was the Panthers’ biggest lead in an ACC game this season since they were up 21 on Stanford in early January. Pitt’s lead eventually grew to 12 points before Saturday’s game ended.
Pitt has had double-digit leads in just three ACC games this season: the New Year’s Day win over Cal, the win over Stanford and Saturday’s win over Miami.
Improved defense
Miami is one of the least-productive three-point shooting teams in the ACC, but the Hurricanes didn't look like it in the first half when they shot 6-of-15 from deep. Pitt's defense got Miami back in line in the second half, holding the Hurricanes to 2-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Up next
Pitt will try to build a winning streak on Tuesday night when the Panthers welcome Syracuse, who is 11-14 overall and 5-9 in the ACC entering a game against North Carolina.
Last edited:
