Pitt Loses Close Road Game to Stanford

Coming off of their third win in ACC play over Notre Dame, the Pitt Panthers were looking to get their fourth with a win over Stanford, another team at the bottom of the ACC.

While they were able to hold a lead in clutch time, Stanford's offense became too much for the Panthers to keep up with.

Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie was the story of the second half. Okorie is second in the ACC in points per game with 22.5, only behind Cam Boozer of Duke. While the freshman had a quiet first half, he scored 28 points in the second to lead his team. He also played 39 minutes of the game.

Okorie really got it going in the final minutes of the game. After Dunning's free throw gave the Panthers a one-point lead, Okorie scored eight straight points for his team. A Dunning three gave the Panthers some hope with the score at 67-71 with over a minute and a half left, but that was the last time Pitt scored in the game.

Pitt's offense wasn't the worst it's been for the most part. The seniors Cam Corhen and Barry Dunning Jr. combined for 41 points to keep the game competitive. The only other Panther to hit double-digit points was Nojus Indrusaitis with ten.

Pitt also shot 39.1% from three this game, which is better than they usually hit in a loss. But, they closely lost both the rebounding and turnover battles.

Stanford guard Omari Witherspoon — Feb 25, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) dribbles by Pittsburgh Panthers guard Omari Witherspoon (8) and toward guard/forward Barry Dunning Jr. (22) in the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Tight Rotation

For the second game in a row, Pitt kept a very limited rotation. Kieran Mullen got three minutes of playing time, more than he got against Notre Dame, but besides that, it was basically a six-man rotation.

Corhen, Dunning, Omari Witherspoon, and Damarco Minor all played above 35 minutes. Head coach Jeff Capel is definitely limited in his options as Pitt deals with so many injuries. But giving players such a heavy load this late in the season could have its drawbacks.

Dunning and Corhen were able to put up points in their long playing time, but Witherspoon and Minor combined for just three made shots.

Coming Up

Pitt's next game will be against Cal on Feb. 28. Cal sits at around the middle of the ACC, which is an area that Pitt hasn't been able to beat just yet. A win over the Golden Bears would show some progress as the season comes to an end.

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