Poor Shooting Dooms Pitt in Defeat to Clemson

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers had a poor end to the first half and couldn't make up for it later on in their 63-52 loss to No. 22 Clemson on the road.

The Panthers make it two losses this season to the Tigers, who they suffered a close defeat, 73-68 at the Petersen Events Center four weeks prior on Jan. 3.

Pitt has now lost 15 straight games to Clemson, dating back to 2015, after winning their first three games against their conference foe when they joined the ACC ahead of the 2013-14 season.

The Panthers now fall to 9-13 overall and 2-7 in the ACC, with four losses in their past five games, while the Tigers improve to 18-4 overall and 8-1 in conference play.

Pitt Keeps it Close Early in First Half, Before Shooting Woes

Pitt and Clemson had a close game early on, with the road team down just two points midway at the 10:37 mark, 13-11.

The Panthers had five different scorers, with senior guard/forward Barry Dunning Jr. scoring four points to lead them.

Jan 14, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Barry Dunning Jr. (22) dunks against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Pitt then got themselves into foul trouble, which for a team that runs just seven-to-eight players per game, hurt them going forward.

Panthers Freshmen in forward Roman Siulepa and center Kieran Mullen picked up three fouls in the first half, while both senior forward Cameron Corhen and sophomore guard Brandin Cummings committing two fouls as well.

Pitt then struggled offensively in the second half of the first period, shooting 2-for-16, 12.5% over the final 10 minutes.

Clemson took advantage of this, shooting 5-for-11 and 3-for-6 from 3-point range, closing the first half on a 20-4 run and holding a 33-16 lead.

The Tigers had eight different scorers in the first half, with senior guard Butta Johnson leading the way with eight points and two 3-pointers.

Pitt shot terribly in the first half, shooting 6-for-28 from the field, 21.4%, 2-for-18 from 3-point range, 11.1%, and 2-for-5 from the foul line, as their 16 points were their lowest first half mark of the campaign.

Panthers Shoot Better in Second Half, but Comeback Too Late

The Panthers didn't quit in the second half, with better execution on offense and making it a compettitve outfit, but the first half deficit was just too large for serious comeback.

Siulepa came back in and had a productive period, scoring 10 points and making all four shots from the field, while both Corhen and freshman guard Omari Witherspoon provided eight points themselves.

Pitt Panthers guard Omari Witherspoon — Jan 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Omari Witherspoon (8) shoots the game winning free throw against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in overtime at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt did get within nine points early on, 39-30 at the 14:40 mark, but Clemson kept them from making a comeback and used a separated themselves with an 11-2 run over three minutes to make it 62-42.

The Panthers cut the deficit to just 11 points at the end of the game, as the Tigers made just one free throw over the final 4:30 and the road team closed the contest on a 10-1 run, with fifth year guard Damarco Minor making two 3-pointers.

Players of the Game

It was a a collective effort from Clemson, who had all nine players that came on the court score, outscoring Pitt 26-6 on bench scoring. They also shot 17-for-20 from the foul line and made eight 3-pointer in the victory.

Junior forward Carter Welling and redshirt senior forward/center Nick Davidson led the Tigers with 12 points each, while senior forward RJ Godfrey also ended up in double digits with 10 points.

Siulepa and Minor both led Pitt with 12 points, with Minor making four 3-pointers and Siulepa one rebound shy of a double-double at nine boards.

The Panthers finished shooting 5-for-26 from 3-point range, but outscored the Tigers in the paint, 33-26.

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