Cummings Leads Panthers to 76-68 Win Over Georgia Tech

Tuesday, February 21

Pittsburgh, PA

7 PM

Pitt

20-8,13-4ACC

Georgia Tech

11-17,3-14ACC

Georgia Tech

Pittsburgh

Cummings Leads Panthers to 76-68 Win Over Georgia Tech

2/21/2023 10:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Notes Quotes Pitt Georgia Tech Highlights Photo Gallery

Panthers Improve to 20-8 overall & 13-3 in ACC Play

PITTSBURGH – Nelly Cummings scored a team-high 22 points, including nine in the final four minutes of play, to lead Pitt to a 76-68 win over Georgia Tech Tuesday evening at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers made 8-of-10 shots from the field and went 8-of-8 from the foul line in the final 10 minutes of the second half en route to securing their 20^th win of the season and their 13^th victory in ACC play.

Blake Hinson added 19 points and six rebounds with his fifth three-point field goal of the night giving Pitt a 70-62 lead with 1:42 remaining. Pitt also received double figure scoring efforts from Federiko Federiko (14 points) and Jamarius Burton (12 points) on the night.

Pitt went up 15-7 at the 13:48 mark in the opening half on a Cummings three-point field goal. Georgia Tech chipped away and took a brief lead on a Miles Kelly jumper at the 4:36 mark to cap a 7-0 Yellow Jacket run.

Hinson buried a three-pointer 14 seconds later to give Pitt the lead and the Panthers carried a 33-32 lead into halftime. Hinson went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and had 11 points in the opening half to lead the Panthers.

Georgia Tech stayed connected by taking care of the ball and outscoring Pitt, 11-0, in points off turnovers. The Yellow Jackets did not commit a turnover in the opening half.

Kelly came out firing in the second half hitting three three-pointers in the opening seven minutes and Georgia Tech grabbed a 49-45 lead at the 12:18 mark on a Ja'von Franklin jumper in the lane.

Federiko went 4-of-4 from the foul line over Pitt's next two offensive possession to tie the game and added a dunk at the 9:09 mark to erase Tech's final lead of the night and give the Panthers a 53-52 advantage. Nike Sibande scored on a coast-to-coast layup 30 seconds later and Pitt answered with a charge by the Yellow Jackets down the stretch.

Cummings' three at the 7:59 mark gave Pitt a four-point margin and added a corner three with 3:57 remaining to answer a Kelly three-pointer and extend the lead to six.

The Panthers went 8-of-8 from the line, including a 6-of-6 effort by Cummings, in the final four minutes. Hinson's fifth three of the night with under two minutes left gave Pitt an eight-point cushion.

Kelly finished the night with a game-high 24 points for Georgia Tech, He went 6-of-13 from three-point range, while Kyle Sturdivant (16 points, five assists) and Franklin (15 points, eight rebounds) had solid games for the visiting Yellow Jackets.

FINE FROM THE LINE
The Panthers were a season-best 19-of-20 (.950) from the foul line, including a combined 15-of-15 effort from Federiko and Cummings. Pitt made its final 18 free throws of the game after Greg Elliott missed the second shot of a three-shot foul at the 17:28 mark of the first half.

CUMMINGS FILLING THE STAT SHEET
In addition to recording his fourth 20+ point game of the season, Cummings also contributed six rebounds and seven assists, He has now had 10+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in each of the past three games. The Midland, Pa., native knocked down a pair of threes and finished with 14 points and three assists in the second half of play.

FEDERIKO FROM THE LINE
Federiko went a season-best 8-of-8 from the foul line and finished with 14 points, seven rebounds (three offensive), and two blocks before fouling out with 1:26 remaining in the game.

WINNING MINDSET
Pitt's nine-game win turnaround from a season ago is the sixth largest in program history, while its seven-game turnaround in conference play matches a school record … the Panthers' 13 conference wins are the most since joining the ACC and tied for the third most conference wins in program history.

UP NEXT
Pitt hosts Syracuse in its regular season home finale Saturday, Feb. 25 (ACC Network – 5 p.m.). Saturday's contest will also be Senior Night with Jamarius Burton, Nelly Cummings, Greg Elliott, Aidan Fisch, and Nike Sibande being recognized in a pregame ceremony.