Pitt Shows Growth in Minutes Without Blake Hinson
PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers could have easily folded without Blake Hinson on the floor due to foul trouble for a majority of the first half against Boston College on Saturday, but instead they came together and stepped up on both ends of the floor on their way to a commanding win.
Bub Carrington, who scored a career high 27 points in the contest, expressed that the Panthers' performance without Hinson proves just how resilient the team is and that it's greater than the sum of its parts.
“That shows a lot," Carrington said. "A lot of teams think that if they take down Blake, they’ll take us out. But we’re not just one person, we’re a whole basketball team.”
Hinson was removed from the game after picking up his second foul at the 13:43 mark and wouldn't return for the remainder of the first half. Pitt led 21-9 at the time of his departure, though Boston College would dwindle its deficit down to 23-21 by the 9:10 mark.
The Panthers took control from that point forward, however, outscoring the Eagles by 14 points the rest of the half and by one overall without Hinson.
A major factor in Pitt's success was Jeff Capel's decision to play Federiko Federiko and Guillermo Diaz Graham together, a move that he hadn't yet pulled out of his hat. The Panthers held Boston College to nine points after Federiko replaced Will Jeffress at the 7:43 mark, clogging the paint with their infusion of size and length while also making life easier for their guards on the perimeter as well.
Pitt's offense was able to stay afloat without its leading scorer thanks to the contributions it received from all five players on the court. Federiko tallied six points and Diaz Graham knocked down two three-pointers as Carrington, Jaland Lowe and Ishmael Leggett combined for 21 points and eight assists in the half.
Capel commended his team's ability to score and operate with a new-look lineup in spite of Hinson's absence.
"The first half, to be able to continue to score with Blake being out and going with different lineups," Capel said. "I thought our guys did a really outstanding job."
The Panthers rolled right into the second half with Hinson back in the fold, ultimately earning a 90-65 victory. The framework for their strong finish was established in the first half, however, and it bodes well for Pitt that it found a way to piece together such a strong showing without Hinson when it had struggled to do so at several points throughout the year.
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