Pitt vs Mississippi State Takeaways: Supporting Cast Shines

The Pitt Panthers' supporting cast keyed the NCAA Tournament victory over Mississippi State.

DAYTON -- Their starting center was out with a knee injury, their leading scorer was saddled with foul trouble for most of the game and the Pitt Panthers won anyway. 

Pitt's first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2016 will last at least a few days longer because, while some of their most crucial pieces were relegated to the bench for varying reasons, the supporting cast stepped up to cover for them. It was a team win in every sense, as impressive a victory as they've notched all year and it took contributions from up and down the lineup.  

Guillermo Shines In Spot Start

Entering gameday, the only thing anyone was talking about was the status of starting center Federiko Federiko's knee. After suffering an injury in the Panthers' ACC Tournament win over Georgia Tech, Federiko was a late scratch for the NCAA Tournament opener against Mississippi State and their first-team All-SEC center, Tolu Smith. 

Wiry freshman Guillermo Diaz Graham started in his place and he figured to be a liability against a player of Smith's caliber, but Diaz Graham didn't allow himself to become a target. With some help from his teammates - who provided quick, effective double-teams on the bigger, more experienced Smith - Diaz Graham more than held his own. Smith scored just 13 points on 5-11 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds - figures well below his season averages. 

He scored just three points and missed the vast majority of his shots, but Diaz Graham, overmatched in just about every way imaginable on paper, played beyond his years and size and was one of, if not the, biggest reasons why Pitt advanced in the NCAA Tournament. 

Panthers Execute Cleanly

Against a team that ranked among the top-10 in defensive efficiency this season, the Panthers found clean look after clean look with outstanding ball movement and it resulted in a high-scoring first half despite the competition. Ever willing to make the extra pass, they made eight of their 13 3-point attempts over the first 20 minutes, which helped them overcome Mississippi State's 10 offensive rebounds and eight second chance points.  

That fact made it all the more surprising that the Panthers opted to shoot so few triples in the second half. They took just six and made only one because the Bulldogs adjusted and started closing out on shooters harder. Still, the Panthers managed to shoot 9-19 from 2-point range after halftime and the biggest shot of the game - Burton's game-winning jumper - came from inside the arc. Even after relying so heavily on the 3-point shot in the first half, their faith in their versatility carried them to a victory. 

Nelly’s Shining Moment

With Burton on the bench, saddled with foul trouble, the Panthers needed a go-to scorer and their starting point guard was ready to fill that role. Nelly Cummings diced the Bulldog defense, scoring from all three levels on the way to a game-high 15 points. He made two 3-pointers, dished out four assists and did not commit a turnover while playing all 40 minutes. 

Pitt leaned on the man with more NCAA Tournament experience than anyone on the roster and he delivered time and time again. In a hectic game that could have fallen apart at the seams multiple times, Cummings provided the steady presence Pitt needed. 

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