University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Post-Game Notes
2/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 12, 2014
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POST-GAME NOTES
No. 1 Syracuse at No. 25/23 Pitt • Petersen Events Center • February 12, 2014
No. 25/23 Pitt 62, No. 1 Syracuse
•In one of the great games in Petersen Events Center history, Tyler Ennis hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from just inside the half-court line to lift No. 1 Syracuse over No. 25/23 Pitt, 58-56. Syracuse became the first top-five ranked team to win at the Petersen Events Center after Pitt had previously been 9-0 against such teams at the PEC and 13-1 vs. top-10 teams.
•The crowd of 12,935 fans that filled the Petersen Events Center was the second-largest single game crowd in the building’s history. The record attendance of 12,944 was set against Duke on Jan. 27.
•Pitt dropped to 20-5 overall on the season and 8-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference with the victory. Meanwhile, Syracuse remained undefeated with a 24-0 record to extend its longest-ever winning streak to begin a season.
•It was the 17th time in school history that Pitt played the No. 1 team in the country. Pitt dropped to 2-15 all-time against the top-ranked team in the country. The Panthers’ only two previous wins against No. 1 both came in 2009 against Connecticut, with the most recent occurring in a 70-60 victory over the Huskies on March 7, 2009 at the Petersen Events Center.
•Pitt has now played four consecutive games decided by five points or less, winning two and losing two in that stretch. The last time the Panthers played at least four straight games decided by five points or less was during a six-game stretch between Dec. 29, 2004 and Jan. 18, 2005.
•Despite the defeat, Pitt still owns a 14-7 record in its last 21 games against Syracuse. The Orange last won at the Petersen Events Center on Feb. 29, 2004, winning 49-46 in overtime.
•Pitt dominated on the glass, outrebounding Syracuse by a 35-24 margin. The Panthers grabbed 16 offensive rebounds compared to the Orange’s six offensive boards.
•Lamar Patterson bounced back from his season-low five-point performance against Virginia Tech on Saturday with a solid all-around outing against the Orange, tallying 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. The senior knocked down three 3-pointers in a game for the 11th time this season.
•Talib Zanna played a huge role in Pitt’s rebounding dominance. The senior forward notched 14 rebounds – seven offensive and seven defensive. Zanna also scored a game-high 16 points largely thanks to 8-9 foul shooting, and his two clutch free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining appeared to give Pitt the victory before Ennis’ game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Zanna’s 14 rebounds were his second-highest total this season; his season-high of 15 rebounds was against Youngstown State on Dec. 14, 2013. It was also Zanna’s eighth double-double this season and the 14th of his career.
•James Robinson also filled up the stat sheet in numerous categories, scoring eight points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing five assists. It was the ninth time this season the sophomore guard tallied five assists.
•Pitt notched seven blocks as a team, equaling a season high set against Wake Forest on Jan. 11. Derrick Randall led the way with a career-high four blocks.
•Pitt played stifling defense, holding Syracuse’s top three scorers – C.J. Fair (16.8 ppg.), Trevor Cooney (14.0 ppg.) and Jerami Grant (12.8 ppg.) – all under their season average. Fair scored 14 points, Conney finished with 11 points and Grant added just six points against the Panthers’ defense.
•Pitt led from the 14:01 mark of the first half until Syracuse tied the game with 6:55 left in the second half. The Panthers held their largest lead of nine points with 14:59 left in the game, while the Orange’s finished the game with their largest lead.
