Pitt
6-3,0-1ACC
West Virginia
3-5,0-0Big 12
Hinson Sets Threes Record As Pitt Rolls to 80-63 Win Over West Virginia
12/7/2023 12:02:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MORGANTOWN – Blake Hinson provided the offensive firepower and William Jeffress changed the energy of the game will his defensive intensity and rebounding as Pitt delivered a commanding second half performance en route to an 80-63 win over West Virginia in the 190th edition of the Backyard Brawl. Hinson set a school record with nine three-point field goals and scored a career-high 29 points, while Pitt was +22 with Jeffress on the floor as he helped slow a WVU offense that was efficient in the opening half.
The Panthers also got outstanding efforts from Carlton Carrington (16 points, four rebounds, nine assists) and Guillermo Diaz Graham (15 points, 6-of-7 FG, 3-of-4 3FG) as they improved to 6-3 on the season and reached the 80-point mark for the fifth time.
Pitt got a lift off the bench from the Diaz Graham twins as Jorge hit an early three, took a charge and blocked a shot at the rim, while Guillermo scored in transition and hit a three-pointer to force a West Virginia timeout with 10:05 left in the opening half.
Pitt grabbed the lead coming out of the timeout with a three-point barrage. Hinson hit a deep one from the left slot and Carrington followed up with a four-point play for a 23-17 Panther advantage. Hinson followed up a West Virginia three with his fourth long ball of the half to get the Panthers to the under eight media timeout with a 26-20 advantage.
Pitt led by as much as seven in the first half before the Mountaineers used a 9-3 run over the final 2:11 to cut the Panthers' lead to 36-35 at the break.
Pitt knocked down nine three-point field goals in the opening half but West Virginia was able to stay connected by going 11-of-12 from the foul line. The Panthers were whistled for nine fouls in the opening half with Ishmael Leggett, Blake Hinson, Guillermo Diaz Graham, and Federiko Federiko each picking up a pair. The Mountaineers were whistled for just four fouls in the half with Pitt going 1-of-1 from the line.
The second half started out as a back-and-forth affair before the Panthers used a 9-0 run to grab a 51-43 lead with 13:27 remaining. Guillermo Diaz Graham started the run with a three and added a driving layup, while Leggett had a pair of finishes in the lane.
Pitt used another 9-0 run to pull ahead 69-52 at the under eight media timeout. Carrington hit a tough fadeaway jumper and a three off the dribble from right elbow with a brother-to-brother connection in the middle. Jorge Diaz Graham found Guillermo Diaz Graham with a pocket pass off the pick and roll and the older of the twins slammed it home to ignite the Panther bench. Jaland Lowe capped the run with a driving finish over West Virginia center Jesse Edwards.
Carrington hit Guillermo Diaz Graham for a pick-and-pop three to give the Panthers their largest lead of the game at 74-54 with 3:26 remaining. Hinson set the Pitt single-game three-point record with a side-step three from 38-feet with 49 seconds remaining in the game.
Pitt's offense was clicking on all cylinders in the second half as the Panthers scored 44 points, while going 16-of-28 (.571) from the field, including 7-of-15 (.467) from three-point range.
MAKE HINSON
Hinson made five or more threes in a game for the third consecutive contest, finishing 9-of-15 from beyond the arc. He is now 20-of-34 (.588) from long range over the past three games. He has scored 20 or more points in each of the past three games and five times overall on the season.
THREE-POINT PROWESS
Pitt made a season-high 16 three-pointers as Hinson (9), Carrington (3), and Guillermo Diaz Graham (3) combined for 15 makes. The Panthers shot 42.1 percent from beyond the arc, while also limited West Virginia to just 3-of-20 (.150) shooting from long range.
BIG GAME FROM THE BENCH
The Panthers posted a 25-3 edge in bench scoring as Guillermo Diaz Graham and Jaland Lowe combined for 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field. Jeffress starred on the other end of the floor holding Quinn Slazinski to just six points in the second half of play and finishing with a career-best nine rebounds to go along with a steal and a blocked shot.
ISH EXTENDS STREAK
Ishmael Leggett scored in double figures for the ninth straight game despite playing a season-low 20 minutes while dealing with foul trouble. He scored 10 points and was 4-of-4 from the foul line to extend his consecutive made free throw steak to 28.
UP NEXT
Pitt returns to the Petersen Events Center to host Canisius in a non-conference matchup Saturday, Dec. 9 (6 p.m. – ACC Network).
