Pitt vs Iowa State Takeaways: Ugly Performance Becomes Big Win
GREENSBORO -- The Pitt Panthers didn't look particularly good doing it, but still walked away with a 59-41 victory over Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The box score looked just as good as it did following their blowout loss to Duke in the ACC quarterfinals eight days ago in all but one area - the final score. Pitt returned to Greensboro, North Carolina with a chip on their shoulder and played that way, cementing themselves as one of the most entertaining and meaningful groups of Panthers in some time.
Guillermo Gets it Going
Guillermo Diaz Graham played a solid game against Mississippi State in the First Four - especially considering it was the first start of his career and it came against an All-SEC player with 40 pounds and four years of experience on him. Diaz Graham handled that challenge about as well as anyone could hope and, like he has all season, improved in his next outing.
Making his second start in a row for Federiko Federiko, who played but is still working his way back from a knee injury, Diaz Graham was a catalyst for Pitt's absurdly fast start against Iowa State. He scored seven of his nine total points, grabbed five boards and blocked three shots before committing his second foul and subbing out with eight minutes left in the first half. The Panthers led 22-4 at that point and by the time he re-entered in the second half, the Cyclones had cut the deficit to seven, illustrating his value plainly.
The fact that he is now a weapon to be used in conjunction with Federiko Federiko - as opposed to just an emergency reserve - makes the Panthers miles deeper, more versatile and more dangerous as they advance further in the NCAA Tournament.
Winning Ugly
Despite the fact that Pitt won an NCAA Tournament game by 18, this victory over Iowa State was by no means a masterpiece. After earning a 22-2 lead, the Panthers surrendered a 21-6 run thanks in large part to multiple scoring droughts of five or more minutes. They committed more turnovers (15) than they made field goals and got just 16 points on 2-15 shooting from their two leading scorers.
But Pitt did the little things well enough to win and win big against Iowa State. They ratcheted up the defensive intensity to hold Iowa State to astonishingly low shooting splits - 23.3% from the floor and 9.5% from 3-point distance. They also made their own free throws at an 86.2% clip and committed just six turnovers while allowing only two points off giveaways in the second half.
Simple mistakes led to Iowa State's comeback and once the Panthers cleaned those up, it was curtains for the Cyclones.
Making History in Hearts and Minds
This is not the most talented team in Pitt history. It is not the most dominant either. It will also likely not achieve the most postseason success in program history too. But they are one of the most fun teams to ever take the floor in blue (or black, as they have lately) and gold. Their heart, resiliency, personality and success will inspire a new generation of fans to follow them with the same passion that fans did in the 2000s and early 2010s.
When you factor in the depths to which this program had fallen, the way this season started and where it is now, there are few teams in Pitt history who will leave a more indelible mark on the psyche of this fanbase and the collective memory of Pitt basketball than the 2022-23 Panthers. This is not the 2009, 2011 or 2012 team that carried the weight of expectations all year long, but the one that defied them and restored pride to a fanbase and school that had lost so much of it. And the best part is their story isn't finished.
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