Pitt G Jaland Lowe Enjoys Career Night

Pitt Panthers guard Jaland Lowe continues to show growth in his freshman season.

PITTSBURGH -- Despite the Pitt Panthers' recent slide, the development of Jaland Lowe bodes well for the program's future. 

Lowe was the lone bright spot in the Panthers' loss to Syracuse on Tuesday night. He recorded a career-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field to go with three assists, three rebounds and a steal in 32 minutes. 

He stated that his strong play, particularly in the second half, was motivated by his will to win and be a source of energy for the team as they looked to complete the comeback. 

"I just wanted to win," Lowe said "That was the only thing on my mind. I wanted to give us a spark, be that guy that just stepped up, try and ignite guys .... I just wanted to be that spark for everybody.”

Lowe has seen a steady uptick in his production all season, but his recent transition into the starting lineup has cranked his play to another gear. In his three games as a starter, Lowe is averaging 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1 steal on 45.2% shooting from the field and 57.1% shooting from three-point range. 

Lowe's speed and ball-handling ability add a needed dynamic to Pitt's offense that wasn't present beforehand. It's also clear that the coaching staff's trust in him has steadily risen in recent weeks as he earned the starting nod over Ishmael Leggett for the second consecutive game. 

Lowe attributed his recent run to getting progressively healthier as the year has gone on while also becoming more comfortable on the court with his teammates. 

"I’m just all-around healthier, so I just feel more comfortable out there with everybody," Lowe said. "Everybody's pretty comfortable with each other."

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