Burton’s Jumper Lifts Pitt Over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden

Saturday, December 18

Queens, NY

12 pm

Pitt

4-7,0-1ACC

St. John's

8-3,0-0Big East

Pittsburgh

St. John's (NY)

Burton’s Jumper Lifts Pitt Over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden

12/18/2021 2:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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NEW YORK, N.Y. – A career day ended with a career highlight for senior guard Jamarius Burton, whose jumper with 0.4 seconds remaining gave Pitt a 59-57 victory over St. John's in the Gotham Classic marquee matchup at Madison Square Garden Saturday afternoon.

Burton finished with a career-high 20 points while shooting 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. Graduate student Mouhamadou Gueye recorded 15 points, six rebounds and three blocks, while sophomore John Hugley had seven points, eight boards and two blocks.

Pitt's two-point victory marks the fifth consecutive game where the final score has had a difference of four points or less.

The Pitt Panthers feeling right at home again inside Madison Square Garden!!!

JB sends Pitt home with a game-winning jumper!#H2P | #ZooEra pic.twitter.com/Jk6Y5t8mqu
— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) December 18, 2021

The Panthers took an 8-6 lead into the first media timeout as both teams were having trouble finding consistency early. St. John's (8-3) went on a 17-5 run after the timeout to take its biggest lead of the first half, 23-13, with 10 minutes left in the first.

Pitt answered with seven-straight points including back-to-back threes and kept it close, trailing by as little as one point two separate times throughout the remaining 10 minutes of play in the half. St. John's took a three-point, 34-31 advantage into the break.

The Panthers shot 50% from three (3-6) and 83% (10-12) from the line in the first half. Pitt led in the rebounding battle 19-14 but also had 11 turnovers to the Red Storm's four.

St. John's led by seven (41-34) after five minutes of play in the second half but led by no more than that as the Panthers chipped away at the Red Storm lead. Pitt gained its first lead since the 11:10 mark of the first half with 11:55 to play off a Burton three-pointer (45-44).

Both teams traded baskets down the stretch with St. John's leading most of the way in the remaining 10 minutes of action. The Panthers regained the lead, 56-55, as Burton sank two free throws at the two minute mark and sophomore William Jeffress made one of two from the line with 16 seconds to put Pitt up 57-55.

Red Storm's Dylan Addae-Wusu drove the lane and was fouled by Hugley with eight seconds to go and went to the line to shoot two. Prior to Addae-Wusu's two free throws, St. John's was 5-of-12 from the line as a team. Addae-Wusu made both and the game was tied 57 all as Pitt called its final timeout.

Burton took the inbound pass and drove the length of the floor, used his left hand to get to the left block and pulled up from the spot and swished the jumper with 0.4 seconds remaining. St. John's 75-foot heave was no good and the Panthers defeated the Red Storm 59-57 in Madison Square Garden.

Pitt shot 32% (16-50) from the field for the game while making just one three in the second half. The Panthers shot a season-best 82.3% (23-28) from the line, including an 82.1% (13-16) showing in the second half. Pitt edged out the Red Storm in total rebounding, 38-37.

St. John's leading scorer (2^nd in Big East) Julian Champagnie did not play due to testing positive for COVID-19 Friday. Champagnie is the twin brother of former Pitt star Justin Champagnie, who currently plays for the Toronto Raptors.