University of Pittsburgh Athletics
COURTSIDE: Panthers Battle Back in Renewal of Backyard Brawl
12/10/2017 11:10:00 AM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH - A young Pitt team fell behind early to a hot-shooting West Virginia team Saturday evening at the Petersen Events Center before battling back to put a scare in the No. 18 Mountaineers.
"Obviously, we are disappointed that we couldn't quite make it over the hump there in the last few minutes," said head coach Kevin Stallings. "I couldn't be any more proud of my team and their effort, how hard they fought. We got our butts kicked in the first half and guys of lesser character would put their head between their legs and think the night was over, but there was none of that with our guys at halftime or at any point. I couldn't ask for anymore out of them that they could of have gave."
The Panthers trailed by 18 points at the half after shooting just 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from the field in the opening 20 minutes of play. Unfazed by the deficit and with four freshmen playing alongside Ryan Luther for large stretches of the second half, Pitt chipped away at the Mountaineer lead cutting it down to a two-point margin with 5:31 remaining on a four-point play by Marcus Carr.
Luther led the way for the Panthers scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the year, while Carr and Stevenson each netted 12 points.
The loss snapped the Panthers four-game win streak, but the young Pitt team showed multiple signs of continued development, including outrebounding West Virginia, 38-32, and committing 14 turnovers against the vaunted Mountaineers press. West Virginia entered the night with a +5.1 rebound margin, while forcing over 21 turnovers per game.
Pitt also received steady play from a freshmen class that accounted for 38 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists.
"I don't take any consolation in losing," added Stallings. "I am heart broken that I couldn't of have done a little bit more to help them get over the top of this game, but its all about us continuing to get better. Hopefully this team will do nothing but continue to get better and I think that they will because I trust who they are as people and they want to be coached and they let me coach them and they listen. I hate that we are 5-5 but I love going to practice everyday because I work with a great group of kids."
#H2P l Twitter l Instagram
"Obviously, we are disappointed that we couldn't quite make it over the hump there in the last few minutes," said head coach Kevin Stallings. "I couldn't be any more proud of my team and their effort, how hard they fought. We got our butts kicked in the first half and guys of lesser character would put their head between their legs and think the night was over, but there was none of that with our guys at halftime or at any point. I couldn't ask for anymore out of them that they could of have gave."
The Panthers trailed by 18 points at the half after shooting just 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from the field in the opening 20 minutes of play. Unfazed by the deficit and with four freshmen playing alongside Ryan Luther for large stretches of the second half, Pitt chipped away at the Mountaineer lead cutting it down to a two-point margin with 5:31 remaining on a four-point play by Marcus Carr.
Luther led the way for the Panthers scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the year, while Carr and Stevenson each netted 12 points.
The loss snapped the Panthers four-game win streak, but the young Pitt team showed multiple signs of continued development, including outrebounding West Virginia, 38-32, and committing 14 turnovers against the vaunted Mountaineers press. West Virginia entered the night with a +5.1 rebound margin, while forcing over 21 turnovers per game.
Pitt also received steady play from a freshmen class that accounted for 38 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists.
"I don't take any consolation in losing," added Stallings. "I am heart broken that I couldn't of have done a little bit more to help them get over the top of this game, but its all about us continuing to get better. Hopefully this team will do nothing but continue to get better and I think that they will because I trust who they are as people and they want to be coached and they let me coach them and they listen. I hate that we are 5-5 but I love going to practice everyday because I work with a great group of kids."
#H2P l Twitter l Instagram
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballPitt Men's Basketball | Youngstown State Postgame | Brandin Cummings, Jeff Capel & Cameron Corhen
Tuesday, November 04
Pitt Men's Basketball | Pitt 74, Youngstown State 59 | Highlights
Tuesday, November 04
Postgame vs. Youngstown State | Jeff Capel, Cameron Corhen, Brandin Cummings
Monday, November 03
Highlights | Pitt 74, Youngstown State 59
Monday, November 03