Pitt vs Georgia Tech Takeaways: Federiko's Development Reaches New Peak

The Pitt Panthers pulled past Georgia Tech and into the quarterfinals with a second half surge.

GREENSBORO -- The Pitt Panthers have advanced in the ACC Tournament for the first time since 2020 after downing Georgia Tech 89-81 at the Greensboro Coliseum. Not only did they manage to advance to the quarterfinals, they solidified their standing in the NCAA Tournament field as Selection Sunday approaches. 

Their work is not finished but the Panthers can still take some time to bask in the glory of this landmark win, one years in the making. 

Federiko is a Force

Jamarius Burton was the hero down the stretch, but Federiko Federiko was the best player on the floor for most of the game. He did the usual things exceptionally well - finishing shots from close range and rebounding at a high level - but he also flashed some signs of improving skills. He made plays off the bounce and made some exceptional passes to set up his teammates. 

Federiko's development has been one of the stories of the season for this Pitt team and a major reason why they survived the loss of John Hugley early in the year. He continues to improve with each passing game but there is a massive test lying immediately ahead of them in the long, athletic Duke Blue Devils. 

Confident Greg is Back

Greg Elliot entered this game having missed 16 of his last 23 attempts from 3-point range. That slump had coincided with the Panthers' slow end to the regular season, when they dropped two of their final five games. Outside of a 5-11 bombing raid against Syracuse, Elliot had been ice cold. 

But the same loose, energetic and confident Greg Elliot that is there when his shot is falling was still there when the points were few and far between. He took the floor of the Greensboro Coliseum brimming with confidence and it was reflected in his play. Each of his four 3-pointers was crucial to Pitt keeping Georgia Tech at bay and his four made free throws iced the game down the stretch. 

Turnovers Tell Story

Georgia Tech's best minutes came at the beginning of the second half. They forced four turnovers in the first five minutes following halftime and scored 21 of the first 27 points in that period. They quickly and decisively cut a 13-point halftime deficit and turned it into a two point lead by the 12:55 mark of the second half. 

The Panthers were careless with the ball and their frequent turnovers led to easy open baskets for their opponents. The adjustment that needed to be made were simple. Pitt got sped up and once they slowed down, the Yellow Jackets struggled to keep up. Once the Panthers stopped helping their opponents out, the game was decided quickly. 

What Lies Ahead

By virtue of their win over the Yellow Jackets, Pitt earned the right to face five seed Duke in the quarterfinals. Cummings described it as a "get back game" after the Panthers lost their only matchup with the Blue Devils back in January. 

There is likely no one in the ACC the Panthers matchup worse with than Duke. With more size than just about anyone in the league, Duke's ability to rebound and block shots was too much for Pitt in the first meeting. That said, Pitt opened up a double-digit lead on the Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the second half before fumbling it in a brutal 77-69 loss that took a lot of the wind out of this team's sails after a hot start to ACC play. They are capable of playing with Duke and beating them but it will require one of the most complete efforts this team has played this season. 

Tip off is slated for 2:30 p.m. on either ESPN or ESPN2. 

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