Pitt Sets School Threes Record in 81-79 Win Over Wake Forest

Wednesday, January 25

Pittsburgh, PA

7 PM

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Wake Forest

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Wake Forest

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Pitt Sets School Threes Record in 81-79 Win Over Wake Forest

1/25/2023 10:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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PITTSBURGH – On a night when the Panthers made a school record 18 three-point field goals and topped the 80-point mark for the eighth time, it came down to late game stops as Pitt held Wake Forest to one field goal in the final four minutes of action en route to an 81-79 win Wednesday night at the Petersen Events Center. Blake Hinson scored 24 points on a school-record matching eight three-point field goals, and Greg Elliott added six threes and 18 points as the Panthers improved to 7-3 in ACC play and 14-7 overall on the season.

Pitt finished 18-of-37 (.467) from three-point range with Hinson (8-of-14) and Elliott (6-of-9) combining to go 14-of-23 (.609) from distance.

Nelly Cummings added 11 points and six assists, while Nike Sibande came off the bench to contribute 11 points and four rebounds. Pitt leading scorer Jamarius Burton finished with six points but consistently made his presence felt with a game-high nine assists.

Pitt got off to a terrific start from the perimeter with Elliott making his first three, three-point attempts and Hinson going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in the early going. The duo combined for Pitt's first 18 points as the Panthers jumped out to an 18-10 advantage.

Wake Forest clawed back and took a momentary lead on a Cameron Hildreth fast break layup at the 8:32 mark. Pitt responded with a 13-2 run to regain the lead. The Panthers went up 33-28 on a Nelly Cummings wing three off an offensive rebound with 6:52 left in the half and Hinson's three less than a minute later to extend the Panther lead to 38-28.

Pitt pushed its lead to 49-34 on a pair of Nike Sibande free throws with 1:01 remaining, but Wake Forest's Andrew Carr scored five points in the final minute of the half to send Pitt into the break leading 49-39.

The Panthers maintained the lead throughout the opening 12 minutes of the second half despite the Demon Deacons going 10-of-16 (.625) from the field during that stretch. Pitt came out of a timeout at the 8:33 mark and Hinson knocked down his sixth three of the night to push the lead to 70-64. Following a Wake three, Hinson struck a again from long range on Pitt's next possession. Daivien Williamson again countered for Wake with a deep three late in the shot clock to keep the visiting within striking distance..

Wake used a 6-0 run to grab a 74-72 lead with 4:34 remaining on a pair of free throws from Carr, but the Panthers again answered from deep. Elliott hit a three at the 4:21 mark and following a defensive stop, Hinson struck again from distance to force a Demon Deacon timeout with 3:40 remaining and Pitt leading 79-74.

Federiko Federiko putback an offensive rebound push the Pitt lead to seven before Tyree Appleby hit a stepback corner three to push the margin to 81-77 with 2:10 remaining. Appleby added a pair of free throws at the 1:05 mark, but Hildreth missed a pair on the ensuing Wake possession as Pitt maintained an 81-79 lead.

Pitt took the game clock down to 6.1 seconds before a shot clock violation game Wake the ball. Appleby got off a deep three from the left wing that caromed off the rim as the buzzer sounded. Appleby and Hildreth led Wake with 15 points each, while Williamson and Carr added 14 points, apiece.

LETHAL WEAPONS FROM 3
Pitt ripped the nets for a school record 18 threes, including 10 in the opening half of play. The Panthers' 18 threes is tied for the second most in a conference game in ACC history. Hinson had a career-high eight triples, while Elliott matched his career high with six. Cummings also hit three threes in the game.

SUCCESS IN THE 80s
The Panthers improved to 8-0 on the season when scoring 80 or more points in a game. Pitt has won 15 consecutive games when topping the 80-point mark and are 20-1 under Jeff Capel when reaching that scoring plateau.

BLAKE HIM-SON
Hinson scored 20 or more points in a game for the fifth time this season. He is now leading the Panthers in scoring (16.2 ppg.), double-figure scoring games (19), rebounds (6.4 rpg.), and three-point field goals (52). Hinson's eight threes Wednesday night matched a single-game record at Pitt. Jared Wilson-Frame (vs. Syracuse, 3/13/19), Andre Aldridge (vs. Georgia, 12/17/94), and Jason Maile (vs. Villanova, 2/12/97) also accomplished that feat.

SHARING IS CARING
Pitt finished with a season-high 22 assists on 28 made field goals. The Panthers recorded 14 assists on 16 made field goals in the opening half.

ON THE GLASS
Pitt improved to 10-2 on the season when winning the rebounding battle. Federiko grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, including a key offensive board and putback layup with 2:20 remaining for Pitt's final basket of the game.

SEND IT IN JEROME!
Pitt legend Jerome Lane was recognized in the opening half of the game on the 35^th anniversary of his iconic backboard shattering dunk against Providence Jan. 25, 1988.

UP NEXT
Pitt wraps up a three-game homestand against Miami Saturday, Jan. 28 (4 p.m. - ESPNU). Pitt's 2003 Big East Championship team will be honored at the game with head coach Ben Howland, Julius Page, Chevon Troutman, Carl Krauser and others expected to be on hand for the celebration.