Pitt’s Second Half Comeback Falls Short Against Virginia Tech

Saturday, February 5

Pittsburgh, Pa.

7 PM

Pitt

8-15,3-9ACC

Virginia Tech

13-10,5-7ACC

Virginia Tech

Pittsburgh

Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics

Pitt’s Second Half Comeback Falls Short Against Virginia Tech

2/5/2022 9:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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PITTSBURGH – Once down 28 points in the first half, the Pitt men's basketball team's offense scored 49 second half points and mounted a comeback to a three-point contest before falling 76-71 to Virginia Tech at the Petersen Events Center Saturday evening.

Sophomore Femi Odukale scored a game-high 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting including a 5-of-7 clip from three-point range. He added three assists and a career-best six steals. Senior Jamarius Burton recorded 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting with six rebounds and four assists, while graduate student Mouhamadou Gueye had 13 points, five rebounds, a block and two steals.

Virginia Tech (13-10, 5-7 ACC) took a 6-2 lead into the first media timeout and went on an 8-0 run to take a 14-4 advantage eight and a half minutes in. The Hokies, who made a combined 26 threes in the last two games entering Saturday evening, made six in the first 13 minutes of action to separate itself by double-digits.

Pitt (8-15, 3-9 ACC) made three three-pointers of its own in a three-minute stretch, but hot shooting from the Hokies made it a 49-22 Virginia Tech lead at the break.

The Panthers shot 40% (8-20) from the floor and 37.5% (3-8) from deep in the first 20 minutes, compared to 75% (18-24) from the field and 76.9% (10-13) from three-point land from the Hokies.

Pitt outscored Virginia Tech 10-6 through the first four minutes of the second half then orchestrated 11 straight points to cut the Hokie led to 16 points, 55-39. Odukale went a perfect 5-for-5 with 12 points, two threes and two steals through 7:20 of gameplay to force the Hokies to call timeout.

Senior Onyebuchi Ezeakudo forced a steal and made a fast break layup while falling out of bounds to extend Pitt's scoring run to 17-2 into the second media timeout as Pitt trailed 57-45 with 11:56 on the clock. The Panthers kept cutting into the lead and eventually made it a six point, 60-54 contest.

The Hokies regained a double-digit lead but again the Panthers cut it to single-digits, eventually making it a four-point, 73-69 game with 20 seconds left. After Virginia Tech's Keve Aluma made the first of two free throws, he missed the second and Odukale drove the length of the floor, drawing a foul. He connected on both foul shots, making it a 74-71 game with eight seconds left. Two free throws from Storm Murphy sealed the deal in the final seconds of the game for Virginia Tech.

Pitt shot 70.8% (17-24) from the field for the second half and 56.8% (25-44) for the game. It made nine threes on 18 attempts, tied for second-most threes this season, and shot 85.7% (12-14) from the charity stripe.
The Panthers turn around and head to Blacksburg for the second consecutive game against the Hokies Monday, Feb. 7. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on the ACC Network.