Pitt
12-3,3-1ACC
Duke
13-2,5-0ACC
Panthers Fall at No. 4 Duke
1/7/2025 9:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. – Pitt slipped to 12-3 on the season and 3-1 in the ACC following a 76-47 loss to No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium Tuesday night. The Panthers battled over the opening 32 minutes of action before going scoreless over the final 7:59 minutes as Duke stretched out the final margin.
Brandin Cummings scored on back-to-back fast break finishes at the rim to cut the margin to 58-47 with just under eight minutes remaining. Following a Duke timeout, Pitt got stops on the next two possessions but went 0-of-3 from the field, including an open look from three-point range.
Khaman Maluach dug out an offensive rebound on Duke's next possession and converted a pair of free throws to start the 18-0 run. Tyrese Proctor added a pair of three-point field goals and two free throws in the final 80 seconds of play to cap the run.
Duke hit three threes in the opening five minutes of action to jump out to an 11-5 lead before Pitt answered back with a 7-0 run to grab a 12-11 lead on a Zack Austin three-pointer with 11:16 left in the half. The Blue Devils again used the three to take command in the first half as Kon Knueppel capped a 10-0 Duke run with a three-pointer for a 23-14 lead with 6:43 left in the half.
Knueppel answered a Damian Dunn three with one of his own and followed an Ishmael Leggett lay-up with his third triple in a span of 2:10 to give the Blue Devils a 10-point lead. Pitt continued to battle but missed two front end of 1-and-1s and split another pair of free throws to enter the break trailing 34-24.
Pitt's backcourt tandem was bothered by Duke's length and was held to just 2-of-13 shooting in the opening half. The Blue Devils were held to a 5-of-14 shooting effort from two-point range but went 7-of-15 from beyond the arc to grab the lead.
The Panthers fought in the second half to keep the game within reach but Cooper Flagg delivered a strong performance after the break to thwart any Pitt charge. He posted 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists to ignite the Cameron Indoor Stadium crowd after the break.
Jaland Lowe knocked down a three to pull Pitt within 43-33 with 15 minutes remaining but the Panthers could get no closer.
Cameron Corhen finished with a team-high 11 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, while Lowe added eight points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Flagg led the Blue Devils with 19 points and 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double, while Knueppel added 17 points with a 4-of-7 effort from beyond the arc. Duke, ranked fourth in the AP and Coaches Poll, improved to 13-2 on the season and 5-0 in ACC play.
UP NEXT
Pitt returns to action Saturday, Jan. 11 at home against Louisville.
