Takeaways: Pitt Struggles Late Against Wake Forest

The Pitt Panthers struggled in late game scenarios during their loss to Wake Forest.

Feb 1, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Jaland Lowe (15) shoots under pressure from Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Hunter Sallis (23) during the second half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers had a golden opportunity to earn a Quad One road win against Wake Forest, but they couldn’t get it done due to late-game mistakes.

Late-Game Execution Woes Continue For Pitt

Pitt has struggled in late-game scenarios this season, causing home losses to Louisville on Jan. 11 and Clemson on Jan. 18, plus now versus Wake Forest. It needs to change quickly, or Pitt is in some serious trouble going through the latter part of its ACC schedule.

The Panthers closed out their game against their rival in the Syracuse Orange on the road on Jan. 25, because they simply had more talent on their side of the floor. The same thing happened in their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at home on Jan. 28 because of Zack Austin’s heroics. 

But none of that was found against an evenly matched Wake Forest team. Pitt trailed 68-65 with 1:12 remaining in regulation, and rather than it trying to run a play, sophomore guard Jaland Lowe shot a Blake Hinson-esque three-pointer seven seconds into the shot clock. 

Lowe missed, stood there for a second and didn’t get back on defense in time, allowing for a wide-open layup for Demon Deacons senior guard Cameron Hildreth. The Panthers, all of a sudden, trailed by five and had to play catch-up for the rest of the game because Lowe tried to play “hero-ball” rather than setting up the Panthers' offense. 

The Missouri City, Texas, native is still only in his second collegiate season, so it makes sense why these mistakes happen. But, eventually, they need to stop, even if that means head coach Jeff Capel has veteran guards like graduate student Damian Dunn or senior Ishmael Leggett serving as the primary ball-handler late in games. 

Lowe made a similar mistake against Clemson. Pitt trailed 75-71 with 1:33 left in overtime, and he dribbled the ball around for 19 seconds before missing another deep three-pointer. It’s a pattern at this point, and that is why Capel should look in other directions.

Beyond Lowe’s costly mistake, the Panthers made a defensive error that made it easy for the Demon Deacons to close out the game. Junior forward Cameron Corhen fouled sophomore guard Ty-Laur Johnson on the perimeter with 2.7 seconds left on the shot clock and 22 seconds left in the game.

Corhen’s foul is understandable, as he played aggressive defense and didn’t want to give Johnson an easy look at the basket, but he would've been better off allowing a 3-point attempt from Johnson, who has a career 19% three-point percentage. 

Tiny mental lapses of judgement late in the game cost Pitt a chance at earning its second Quad One win of the season.

Dunn is Critical to Pitt’s Success in February and March

Dunn had by far his best game since returning from the thumb injury that sidelined him for multiple weeks. Against the Demon Deacons, Dunn racked up 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting with four assists, all in 30 minutes of game action. 

The Houston and Temple transfer had multiple runs of 5-0 or 7-0 by himself that kept Pitt in the game against Wake Forest. 

The other two Panthers guards, Lowe and Leggett, combined for 8-26 shooting, both below their average field goal percentage. Dunn saved the Panthers in this game and prevented it from becoming a blowout.

If Leggett or Lowe had played up to their averages against the Demon Deacons, the Panthers could have walked out of Winston-Salem with a victory. 

Not Much Breathing Room on NCAA Tournament Bubble

The latest projections from ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi leading into this matchup had Pitt a part of the "Last Four Byes" in the NCAA Tournament Field.

This loss will more than likely drop Pitt to the "Last Four In." Pitt really has no breathing room and not many chances to earn resume-boosting wins with how poor the ACC is this season. 

Pitt has three Quad One games remaining — North Carolina, SMU and Louisville — all on the road. One of those is against North Carolina on Feb. 8, who will have an entire week off before they plays Pitt. 

Every game from here on out decides if the Panthers make the NCAA Tournament or not. The Panthers cannot lose any Quad Two, Three or Four games and have to win at the very least one of their three Quad One opportunities. 

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