Pitt Overpowered by Missouri in ACC-SEC Challenge
PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers had a chance to earn a potential resume-boosting victory in front of a raucous crowd on Tuesday, but it became evident early on that they would have trouble contending with Missouri's size and style of play in a 71-64 loss. Pitt shot just 34% from the field and 28% from deep as it depended on free-throw opportunities for a large chunk of their points on the night. The Tigers imposed their will inside all night, scoring 30 points in the paint while coming away with 11 offensive rebounds as part of a complete performance that saw them shoot 45% from the field.
Scoring was at a premium early as the two sides combined for just seven points before the first media break with Missouri jumping out to a 4-3 lead. Both of the Tigers' field goals came from inside the paint during that stretch while Pitt went 1-of-4, with its only make stemming from a Blake Hinson layup.
Ishmael Leggett connected on all four of his attempts from the free-throw line following the timeout to tie the contest at 7-7 with 14:18 left in the first half. Hinson nailed the Panthers' first three of the game at the 13:23 mark, helping Pitt keep things tied at 14-14 heading into the second media timeout while Missouri backed themselves into trouble with five fouls at the 11:25 mark.
The Panthers continued to benefit from the Tigers' undisciplined and aggressive nature after the break, adding five points from the charity stripe and moving into the bonus as they opened up a 21-17 lead at the 8:13 mark. Guillermo Diaz Graham displayed some flair on the offensive end with an and-one and put-back dunk leading up to the third media timeout while Missouri fell into a 0-for-7 cold streak.
Two quick baskets from Connor Vanover and Sean East II cut the Tigers' deficit to 23-21 at the 6:38 mark before Hinson and Zack Austin converted on attempts from deep that made it 29-23. A 7-for-9 stretch that saw East, Noah Carter and Tamar Bates each come away with two field goals allowed Missouri to tie the score at 33-33 before the final media timeout of the first half at the 1:12 mark.
Missouri carried a 38-35 lead into halftime as they shot 44.1% from the floor and 46.2% on six makes from three-point range while East and Bates paced the team with 10 points each. The Tigers' control of the offensive boards in addition to their 14 points in the paint and six forced turnovers permitted them to seize control late in the half.
Pitt struggled from deep in the first half as it shot 3-for-10, carrying on a worrying trend that has plagued the Panthers all season. Hinson and Carrington led the team with eight points each, but Pitt's sloppiness and ineffectiveness in moving the ball held it back over the first 20 minutes.
Missouri extended its lead to 42-37 early in the second half, but a 7-0 run highlighted by a Hinson dunk off of a fast break enabled the Panthers to go up 44-42 heading into the first media break. Pitt's prosperity from the free-throw line came into play once again as Leggett and Austin made all four of their combined attempts.
An 8-0 run by the Tigers in tandem with a 0-for-5 stretch by Pitt let Missouri take a 50-44 lead at the second media timeout. East, Carter and Anthony Robinson II all scored during that span. The Tigers went up by a game-high six points at the 12:08 mark before Hinson's third three-pointer of the game cut it to 52-49 at the third media timeout.
Pitt and Missouri went without a field goal while shooting 0-for-6 for nearly three minutes from the 11:34 mark to the 8:47 mark before an East layup made it 57-50. The Panthers scored just three points during that run, all of which came on free-throws, due to a 2-for-12 stretch of their own that left them without a field goal for nearly five minutes as the Tigers went up 59-52 at the fourth media timeout.
A pair of missed one-and-one opportunities by Federiko Federiko did little to help Pitt in their comeback effort, which was only exacerbated by a three by East that grew Missouri's lead to 62-52 with 5:58 left in the game. The Panthers took a 0-for-8 streak that persisted over eight minutes into a timeout at the 3:30 mark as the Tigers held the 64-56 advantage.
Two threes from Hinson, which snapped Pitt's scoreless run, brought Pitt back within two points at the 2:15 mark. Baskets from Caleb Grill and Vanover provided Missouri with some breathing room as it grew the lead to 68-63 at the 1:32 mark. Hinson had several chances to cut into the Panthers' deficit at the free-throw line but missed a pair of attempts, and a wide-open miss for a corner three and subsequent turnover by Leggett clinched Pitt's fate and sent them home with a loss that will be tough to swallow.
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