Inside The Panthers

Takeaways: Pitt Shows Resiliency in Ohio State Win

The Pitt Panthers showed resiliency in a win over Ohio State on the road.

Dominic Campbell

Pittsburgh Panthers forward Zack Austin (55) celebrates hitting the game winning three pointer in overtime of the NCAA men's basketball game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena in Columbus on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Ohio State lost 91-90 on a last second shot.
Pittsburgh Panthers forward Zack Austin (55) celebrates hitting the game winning three pointer in overtime of the NCAA men's basketball game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena in Columbus on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Ohio State lost 91-90 on a last second shot. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers fought back throughout and came up with a massive overtime win on the road vs. Ohio State.

Pitt Shows Resiliency in Win vs. Ohio State

Pitt fell behind in the first half, down nine points at halftime and then 12 points early in the second half. Ohio State shot 20-for-29 from the field, 69.0% and made 6-of-9 3-pointers (66.7%) in the first half to get an early lead.

The Panthers easily could've failed in their comeback attempt or struggled the rest of the game, but they stepped their play up. They would go on a 20-3 run and hold Ohio State scoreless for more than seven minutes to gain a 63-58 lead at the 8:44 mark.

Ohio State would retake the lead late in the second half and looked like they'd get the win. Pitt still kept going, foiling the home team's plans and making two baskets late to send it into overtime.

The Buckeyes hit a number of free throws, led by five points with a minute to go and four points with 16 seconds left, but still, the Panthers found a way, with good free throw shooting themselves and the game-winning 3-pointer from redshirt senior forward Zack Austin.

Pitt displayed incredible resiliency this game, one of the most important contests for their season going forward.

It showed that, even with difficult circumstances, the Panthers will play any team to the final whistle and will go as far they can to get a win.

Previous Pitt teams, even those under head coach Jeff Capel, would've faltered and ended with a blowout loss.

Not this team. Not this season. Pitt is different and for the better.

If they handle adversity like they did in this game vs. Ohio State, there won't come many games that Pitt isn't fighting to win until the last second.

Zack Austin Plays His Best Game for Pitt

Austin hit the game-winning 3-pointer against the Buckeyes, but he played his best game for the Panthers when they needed him the most.

He hit three 3-pointers in the second half for Pitt, with the first to kickstart their 20-2 run, the second to end a scoring drought and the third to bring them within two points with 1:23 remaining.

Austin would finish with a season-high 16 points, including tying his career-high with five 3-pointers, going 5-for-8 from behind the arc. He also grabbed five rebounds, tied for second most for the Panthers in the win.

He has had an excellent season defensively off the bench for Pitt, with eight rebounds and five blocks vs. Murray State on Nov. 8, five rebounds and four blocks vs. Gardner-Webb on Nov. 11, both home wins.

Austin has scored in 10 points twice, vs. Gardner-Webb and also LSU on Nov. 22 in the Greenbrier Tip-Off, but he now has the chance to stay more consistent as an offensive threat.

Pitt lost graduate student guard Damian Dunn for six weeks, after undergoing surgery on his thumb.

They'll need Austin to pick up some of Dunn's production, not just defensively, but offensively if they're going to beat teams in his absence. His performance vs. the Buckeyes is a good-sign that this might happen more often.

Papa Amadou Kante Makes Presence Felt

Redshirt freshman forward Papa Amadou Kante found himself in an unusual position for Pitt early on in the second half.

Starters in junior forwards, Cam Corhen and Guillermo Diaz Graham, both headed to the bench. Corhen picked up his third foul and Diaz Graham suffered a hit to the head, that kept him out the rest of the game for the Panthers

Amadou Kante had only played 16 minutes in the first seven games of this season, but came in and showed why he held a four-star rating coming out of high school.

He finished with 12 points, making 3-of-4 shots from the floor and 6-of-9 free throws, while also grabbing four offensive rebounds in the win vs. the Buckeyes, before fouling out in overtime.

Amadou Kante showed a fearlessness, but also the tenacity and basketball IQ necessary both on the boards and in the paint in such an important game against a Power Four opponent. He also scored seven points on that 20-3 run that got Pitt back into it.

He suffered a knee injury in September 2023, that ended his 2023-24 season before it even begain. He also only received full clearance for the season back on Sept. 23 and is only just acclimating to the college game.

Amadou Kante displayed his talents vs. the Buckeyes and the Panthers will need him as a frontcourt option off the bench going forward.

If he finds a way to commit less fouls, he'll have a chance to earn far more minutes on the court, and potentially a chance to start.

Jaland Lowe, Ish Leggett Star Again for Pitt

Pitt guards, sophomore Jaland Lowe and senior Ishmael Leggett, both had great outings in the win over Ohio State.

Lowe scored a career-high 28 points, shooting 9-for-20 from the field and 10-for-11 from the free throw line. Leggett would score 21 points, shooting 9-for-22 from the field, and grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double.

The duo scored 20 points in the first half, keeping the Panthers in it while the Buckeyes made most of their shots.

Leggett got things going for Pitt on the 20-3 second half run, as he scored eight points, on a 3-pointer, layup and a converted and-one layup opportunity. Lowe scored eight points, including two free throws and the tying basket with 33 seconds to go.

Lowe led the Panthers in overtime with eight points, including making 6-of-7 field goals, all coming with 1:34 remaining.

He drew two fouls from Buckeyes junior guard Evan Mahaffey on 3-point attempts, making five-of-six free throws, and converted an and-one opportunity, which kept Pitt in a one possesion game.

Lowe also drew attention away from Austin on the final possession, giving him the open look for the game-winner.

Pitt needs both Lowe and Leggett on top of their games for this team to excel. They both function as great point guards, but also as players who love to drive to the rim and absorb contact for foul shots and extra points.

Lowe has averaged 21.7 points, 5.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds per contests in the last three games for Pitt, while Leggett has averaged 19.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the same timespan.

The Panthers will rely on Lowe and Leggett going forward, with Dunn out injured, as they look to continue proving to the college basketball world that this is one of, if the not the best, guard duos in the country.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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