Pitt
4-0,0-0ACC
Jacksonville
2-2,0-0ASUN
Panthers Explode for 107-56 Win Over Jacksonville
11/17/2023 10:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – Blake Hinson scored 21 of his game-high 25 points in the opening half as Pitt raced out to an early double-digit lead en route to a 107-56 win over Jacksonville Friday night at the Petersen Events Center. Guillermo Diaz Graham delivered a career night with 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Carlton Carrington knocked down five threes and finished with 17 points.
Pitt had four double-figure scorers as Ishmael Leggett added 14 points, nine rebounds, and four assists as it reached the 100-point mark for the second time in four games. Pitt's 107 points were the most in a game since the Panthers scored 112 in a Dec. 28, 2016 win over Marshall.
Pitt jumped out to a 9-0 lead to force a Jacksonville timeout at the 16:45 mark as Leggett scored the first five points and Hinson ignited the Petersen Events Center crowd with a rip through dunk followed by a wing jumper on the next possession.
The Panthers stifling defense force Jacksonville to miss its first eight shots of the game and start just 1-of-12 from the floor in the opening 9:33 of play.
Threes from Carrington, Hinson, and Leggett on consecutive possessions pushed Pitt to a 25-4 edge and force a second timeout of the half by Jacksonville at the 9:19 mark. Pitt continued to pour it with a combination of tenacious defense and quick strike offense leading by as many as 34 points before settling for a 52-22 edge at the break.
The Panthers made seven three-pointers, including a three from Hinson, while holding Jacksonville to 7-of-29 (.241) shooting from the field and 0-of-8 from long range. Pitt recorded 12 assists on 18 first half field goals and had 20 points in the paint in the opening 20 minutes of action.
Three Panthers reached double figures in scoring by the break with Hinson leading the way with 21 on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor. Guillermo Diaz Graham added 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting and Leggett knocked down a pair of threes en route to a 10-point half.
Three-point shooting sparked a 9-0 second half run as Jaland Lowe got things started and Carrington hit back-to-back bombs for a 66-27 lead with just under 14 minutes remaining.
Pitt closed the game on a 25-8 run over the final 6:18 of play to hand Jacksonville its second largest defeat in program history. The 51-point is tied for Pitt's sixth largest margin of victory.
THREE AND D
Pitt made a season-best 15 three-point field goals, fifth most in program history, while also holding Jacksonville to just 1-of-15 (.067) shooting from beyond the arc.
FRESHMAN FIRST
Carrington finished with 17 points to become the first Pitt freshman to score 15 or more points in each of the first four games of the season. He finished 5-of-7 from three-point range with the five threes tied for the third most by a Pitt freshman.
BOARD WORK
Pitt grabbed 50 or more rebounds for the third time in four games finishing the night with a 51-29 edge on the glass, including a 19-3 advantage in offensive rebounds. Jacksonville entered the contest ranked among the top teams in the NCAA in rebounding (49.5 rpg.). Six Panthers grabbed five or more rebounds in the game.
HIGH SCORING IN PAST FOUR
Pitt topped the 85-point mark for the fourth consecutive game and improved to 28-2 under Jeff Capel when scoring 80 or more points in a game. The Panthers had not scored 85 or more points in four consecutive games since the 1992-93 season. Pitt also had four or more double-figure scorers for the fourth game in a row.
PASSING THE PILL
The Panthers had a season-best 24 assists with just six turnovers. Lowe led the way with six assists, while Carrington, Leggett, and Guillermo Diaz Graham each added four helpers. The Panthers assisted on 72.7 percent (24-of-33) of its baskets.
DON'T ATTACK ZACK
Zack Austin was a terror on the defensive end of the floor early in the contest recorded three blocks in the opening seven minutes of play. He finished with five points, seven rebounds, and a season-high four blocks.
UP NEXT
Pitt travels to Brooklyn to face Florida, Wednesday, Nov. 22 (9:30 p.m. – ESPNU) in the opening round of the NIT Season Tip-Off at the Barclays Center. Wednesday's contest begins a string of five consecutive games against Power Five opponents.
