Takeaways from Pitt's Stunning ACC Tournament Win Over Stanford

The Pitt Panthers defeated Stanford 64-63 to keep their season alive as they move on in the ACC Tournament. This is their first ACC Tournament win since 2024, as last season they lost to Notre Dame via a questionable foul call at the end of regulation.

Not only did the Panthers eliminate Stanford from the ACC Tournament, but this almost crushes the Cardinal's March Madness hopes. A lot went right to take down a team that had a chance of making the NCAA Tournament.

Dominating the Boards

Offensive rebounds were the story of this game. Pitt grabbed 20 offensive rebounds to just seven from Stanford, winning the overall rebounding battle 41-28. While the whole game had Pitt controlling the rebounds, it was clutch time that really saw them elevate.

With Pitt down by two points with just over a minute to go, freshmen Roman Siulepa and Omari Witherspoon grabbed back-to-back offensive rebounds, which eventually led to Barry Dunning Jr. hitting Pitt's first three of the half for the lead.

But, those weren't even the biggest rebounds of the game. With Pitt down by a single point during a chaotic final possession, 6'0" guard Damarco Minor had a put-back layup off his own miss while being surrounded by taller Stanford defenders. This was Minor's second made field goal of the game.

Siulepa and Cam Corhen both had five rebounds to lead the way. Besides Nojus Indrusaitis, every Panther with playing time got at least one offensive rebound. The offensive rebounds led to 25 second-chance points for Pitt.

Pitt guard Omari Witherspoo — Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers players celebrate as guard Damarco Minor (7) hits a follow shot with 1 second left in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Tough Defense

While Minor didn't score much, he did contribute on the defensive end. Minor's main assignment was Ebuka Okorie, who leads the ACC in scoring with 23.1 points per game. Okorie scored 28 points in just the second half during Pitt's last matchup with Stanford.

While this was another game where Okorie got it going in the second half, he ended the game with 14 points on just ten shot attempts. His last contest before the ACC Tournament was a 33-point game against NC State.

The first half defense by the Panthers was especially good, playing very physical without fouling. The second half saw the Panthers get a little more sloppy, with center Cam Corhen even fouling out, but they were still able to hold Stanford well below their season averages.

Guard Macari Moore deserves a lot of credit for coming in and bringing the energy, despite his low playing time this season. The freshman had two steals and five rebounds to help Pitt secure the win.

Coming Up Next

While it's a great win, Pitt has to get ready for its matchup with NC State, coming up the following day on March 11.

Pitt fell to NC State on Jan. 24 in a nine-point loss. One thing that can give the Panthers hope is they just beat two teams they had already lost to once this season by taking down Stanford and Syracuse.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!