Takeaways: Pitt Shows Resiliency in Win Over Cal

The Pitt Panthers showed resiliency in their win over Cal.

Jan 1, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Jaland Lowe (15) shoots against California Golden Bears forward Lee Dort (34) during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers showed great resiliency in their comeback win over Cal, as they faced adversity in the game and even prior.

Pitt Overcomes Early Deficit, Injuries

The Panthers came into this matchup without one of their star players in senior guard Ishmael Leggett. The program announced prior to the game that Leggett was out with a lower body injury, thinning an even more depleted backcourt.

Pitt gave freshman guard Brandin "Beebah" Cummings his first collegiate start and they played in their first game since Dec. 21, a blowout of Sam Houston State.

Cal came out with an early 13-5 lead, that Pitt would counter with an 11-3 run to get their first lead of the game at 16-15.

The Golden Bears then outscored the Panthers 24-7 over an eight-minute stretch and 11-0 over the final three minutes, building a 39-23 advantage with just four minutes left in the first half.

Pitt then cut the lead back to single-digits, and used the crowd's anger from some questionable technical fouls on redshirt senior forward Zack Austin and head coach Jeff Capel to bolster them the rest of the period.

The Panthers held the Golden Bears scoreless from the field and would trim their deficit to just four points at halftime.

Pitt would dominate Cal in the second half, opening up on a 9-2 run, taking the lead and outscoring their opponent 48-32 in the period for the victory.

Panthers junior forward Cam Corhen said that the home fans played a large role in getting the team back into the game, especially after the technical fouls, which allowed them to erase the deficit.

"We was down 16? It didn’t feel like that," Corhen said. "We was just chipping away and at halftime, you could definitely feel the momentum shifting, especially with the techs. We just got it going. I felt like, it was a lot energy from the fans that helped us out because we were sluggish coming out and at the end of the first half, we just rallied together."

Pitt sophomore guard Jaland Lowe felt what it was like being down by 16 points, but he agreed with Corhen that the crowd kept them in it and gave them the energy they needed to get back in the game.

"I’m not like Cam, I felt that," Lowe said. "I felt it for sure. I felt every second of it, but yeah, like I said, coach getting a tech fired us up even more, but you know, yeah, the crowd really helped us get into it and we appreciate the crowd for that, that they help a lot. We try to emphasize that, they give us a lot of energy and we got together and finished the half off strong."

The Panthers needed this win, as they also had to do it without graduate student guard Damian Dunn, who missed his sixth straight game, undergoing surgery on his right thumb after injuring it againstWisconsin in the Greenbrier Tip-Off back on Nov. 24.

Lowe praised his teammates for their performance in the victory, particularly when they made their comeback and that it shows that they have what it takes against any team.

“That we’re a bunch of fighters," Lowe said on the comeback. "That we don’t quit. That we’re gonna band together every day. One guy gets hurt, next guy steps up. That’s how it is. We trust one another. It’s just another game, we can trust our brothers."

Pitt will hope to have both of their guards back in the near future, as they continue on into ACC play, but for now, they'll do what they can without them in the lineup.

Jaland Lowe Stars Once Again for the Panthers

Lowe had another sensational game for the Panthers in their win over the Golden Bears, proving himself amongst the best guards in college basketball.

He started off slow, scoring nine points in the first half and shooting 2-for-9 from the field, but making up for it with five free throws.

Lowe then got back to his normal self in the second half, scoring 18 points, shooting 7-for-14 from the field, making a 3-pointer and three free throws that came off of and-one layup opportunities.

He finished with 27 points, just one point of his career-high of 28 points he set in the overtime road victory over Ohio State on Nov. 29.

Lowe also dished out eight assists, as he ran the Panthers offense once again, showing his talents with his passing and his ability to drive through contact to the rim for points, either of which he's willing to do to ensure victory for his team.

"Just need to take it to another level," Lowe said on his performance. "Do whatever we need to do to win and if that’s me being more aggressive, me passing the ball even more, then that’s what I gotta do to try to win."

Lowe also had to do this without Leggett, who he started the previous 12 contests with this season, and completes one of the best guard duos in the country.

Despite playing 38 minutes, Lowe didn't feel any added pressure with Leggett out and was ready for whatever was needed from him.

“Nah, I just felt like I just needed to do what the team needed me to do," Lowe said. "That’s all it was."

Capel gave credit to Lowe for working through the game and that he got better throughout, showing why he's one of the top players in college right now.

"Well, he's a good player, period," Capel said. "One of the things with good players, I think Jaland's as good a guard as there is in college basketball. And with good players, you just want to put them in positions where they can make reads and make plays, and they tried to ice ball screens and drop, that's their coverage that they had mainly played. We wanted to get them off the ball a little bit, put them in some dribble handoffs to soften the coverage a little bit. I thought early in the half, he did a great job of making passes and trusting his teammates. And then that opened up some areas for him."

Pitt will need more great performances from Lowe this season, especially if Leggett and Dunn don't return from their injuries in the near future.

Cam Corhen Excels in the Post

Corhen had an incredibly efficient performance for Pitt in the win over Cal, as he showed his talents in the post.

He finished with a season-high 19 points, making seven of his eight attempts from the field and shooting 5-for-7 from the foul line. He also grabbed 11 rebounds, giving him his second double-double of the season, with the last coming vs. Murray State on Nov. 8.

Corhen exploited the Golden Bears defenders in the paint, waiting for them to make their move and then taking his chance by attacking the basket. The performance showed maturity and great patience from someone who is playing the most basketball he's done in college.

This game was one that Corhen needed going forward, but for him, he wanted to show what he's capable of, especially with Leggett out.

“I just knew somebody had to step up," Corhen said. "It was a collective team effort to step up, but with Ish being out, just had to be more aggressive offensively.”

If Corhen performs like he did vs. Cal, Pitt will have a great scoring threat in the paint for the rest of ACC play.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

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