Pitt Struggles Late, Falls to Louisville

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers fought hard against the Louisville Cardinals on the road, but poor shooting down the stretch doomed them to another loss, 79-68.

Pitt has now dropped its past three games, as they lost to both Notre Dame on the road, 76-72 on Feb. 22, and Georgia Tech at home, 73-67 on Feb. 25.

It is also the second loss for the Panthers against the Cardinals this season, as they dropped an 82-78 contest back on Jan. 11.

Both teams battled it out to start, but Louisville got out to the lead, going up 14-9 at the 13:25 mark. Fifth year guard/forward Terrence Edwards Jr. dropped five points, with a 3-pointer and a layup, senior guard Chucky Hepburn added four points on two free throws and a layup and sixth year forward Noah Waterman added a 3-pointer.

The Panthers would outscore the Cardinals, 13-7, as they took a 22-21 lead with 5:36 remaining in the first half.

Pitt made three 3-pointers during the run, with guards in freshman Amsal Delalić and sophomore Jaland Lowe, plus junior forward Guillermo Diaz Graham converting from deep, while Lowe also converted an and-one layup opportunity.

They also held Louisville to 3-for-10 shooting from the field, with Edwards making two layups.

Hepburn then took over for the Cardinals, as he shot a perfect 6-for-6 from 3-point range, scoring the final 18 points in the first half for the home team.

The Panthers stayed with the Cardinals, shooting 5-for-8 from the field and trailing just 39-33 at halftime. Lowe scored six points on two layups and a jumper, senior guard Ishmael Leggett made a mid-range jumper and redshirt senior forward Zack Austin hit from deep.

Pitt, after allowing a layup from Edwards, went on a 13-6 run, trimming the deficit to one point, 47-46, at the under-16 minute media timeout.

Lowe and Leggett each scored two points but the Panthers shot well from behind the arc, with Diaz Graham, Austin and freshman guard Brandin "Beebah" Cummings hitting from deep.

Pitt then took the lead, as Austin made a layup and Cummings made two free throws, going up 50-47, but Louisville responded with a 7-0 run, as Edwards and Hepburn both made layups and senior guard Reyne Smith made a 3-pointer, to get the lead back, 54-50.

Diaz Graham kept Pitt in it, making a 3-pointer, an authorative dunk and two free throws. Pitt also got a few steals and retook the lead, as Austin made two free throws and a 3-pointer off an incredible pass from Lowe, that got Pitt the lead back, 62-59.

The Cardinals stayed in it from the foul line, with Edwards making two shots and Hepburn coverting thrice. Sophomore forward James Scott also made a dunk, cutting the lead to one point, 62-61 with seven minutes remaining.

Pitt would struggle from the field, going scoreless for more than four minutes and shot 0-for-6 from the field.

Louisville took advantage, extending their run to 9-0, leading 68-62 at the last media timeout with 3:23 remaining. Hepburn found Scott for another dunk and added five points on three foul shots and a layup.

Junior forward Cam Corhen ended the scoreless streak for the Panthers with two free throws, but Edwards made a layup, Scott blocked Lowe's shot and then Hepburn went back to the foul line and made both shots, going up 72-64.

Lowe did make a layup on a second-chance opportunity and head coach Jeff Capel called a timeout for Pitt with two minutes remaining.

Smtih made two free throws and then Leggett made a layup, trailing 74-68 with one minute remaining.

Hepburn made one of his two free throws and then Lowe would miss a 3-pointer, which ended any chance of a comeback.

The Panthers shot 2-for-15 from the field in the final 7:39, after going up 62-59.

Pitt will stay on the road for their next matchup, as they face NC State on March 5 with a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.

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