Pitt
10-7,1-5ACC
Syracuse
12-5,3-3ACC
Lowe Nets Season-High 20 Points; Panthers Fall at Home to Syracuse
1/16/2024 10:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – Jaland Lowe scored a season-high 20 points, but it was not enough to help Pitt overcome a cold shooting night in a 69-58 loss to Syracuse Tuesday night at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers shot just 35 percent from the field, including 19 percent from three-point range, while the Orange had an uncharacteristic strong effort from beyond the arc going 10-of-17 (.588) from long range.
Pitt had a strong showing across the stat sheet winning many of the specialty stats within the game but it was not enough to overcome a 15-point deficit from three-point range. The Panthers outrebounded Syracuse, 40-36, with a 15-6 edge on the offensive glass, while also outpacing the visitors in points off turnovers (16-5), points in the paint (30-14), second chance points (10-6), and fast break points (15-3).
Pitt jumped out to an early 20-14 lead as Ishmael Leggett hit a pair of threes around a Lowe stepback three from the right wing. Syracuse responded with a 9-0 run to spark a 20-4 run over a span of 8:11 to grab a 34-24 lead with 2:41 left in the half.
Syracuse led 37-26 at the break as Pitt went 2-of-12 from the field over the final 10 minutes of opening half. The Panthers shot just 33.3 percent (10-of-30) from the field in the first 20 minutes, while the Orange were 15-of-29 (.517) from the field, including 6-of-10 (.600) from three-point range.
Pitt battled back throughout the second half but Syracuse seemingly always had an answer to hold the Panthers at bay. Lowe hit a jumper at the 14:29 mark to pull Pitt within 44-36, but Justin Taylor hit a three late in the shot clock on Syracuse's next possession to start a 7-0 run.
Lowe engineered an 8-2 run with a driving layup and a pair of and-one finishes to get the Panthers to a 62-53 margin with 3:44 remaining in the game. Syracuse got to the free throw line on their next possession on a foul late in the shot clock and secured two offensive rebounds on the next trip down the court to milk the clock and end Pitt's hopes for a late game charge.
J.J. Starling finished with 17 points to lead the Orange, while Judah Mintz added 14 and Chris Bell had 10.
Blake Hinson knocked down a pair of threes and finished with 12 points and eight rebounds as the Panthers slipped to 10-7 overall and 1-5 in the ACC.
THREE-POINT PROBLEMS
Pitt entered the night leading the ACC with 9.6 made threes per game, but the Panthers managed to go just 5-of-26 (.192) from beyond the arc. Pitt was just 1-of-12 (.083) from long range in the second half of play.
Compounding Pitt's shooting woes from the arc has been stellar shooting from the opposition over the past three games. Syracuse went 10-of-17 from long range as its past three opponents are now 31-of-63 from beyond the arc. The Panthers entered the contest leading the ACC in three-point percentage defense (.281)
TOP TWO SCORERS OFF THE MARK
Pitt's leading scorers Blake Hinson and Carlton Carrington combined to go 4-of-27 from the field, including 2-of-18 from three-point range. The tandem was held to 12 points after entering the contest averaging a combined 33.1 points per game.
JLOWE CONTINUES TO GROW
Lowe scored a season-best 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field for his third double-figure scoring game of the season. He has scored nine or more points in each of the past five games and is averaging 11.4 points per game in that span.
UP NEXT
Pitt opens a three-game road swing Saturday, Jan. 20 at Cameron Indoor Stadium against No. 7 Duke (8 p.m. – ACC Network).
