Pitt
16-11,7-9ACC
Notre Dame
12-15,6-10ACC
Panther Rally Falls Short in 76-72 Loss at Notre Dame
2/22/2025 5:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Pitt used a late charge to create a one possession game multiple times in the closing minutes, but Notre Dame went 8-of-8 from the line in the final 40 seconds of action to secure a 76-72 win Saturday afternoon at Purcell Pavilion. Ishmael Leggett hit three three-pointers in the final 2:20 of play but it wasn't enough to overcome a nearly four-minute scoring drought (6:10-2:20 mark) as the Panthers moved to 16-11 overall and 7-9 in the ACC.
Leggett finished with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and Cameron Corhen added a season-high 20 points and seven rebounds to lead the Panthers. Jaland Lowe contributed 13 points, four assists, and four steals, while Guillermo Diaz Graham added 11 points and five rebounds.
The opening half featured three lead changes and five ties with Markus Burton's short back shot in the final five seconds sending the game into the break tied at 30. Corhen went 6-of-7 from the field to lead the Panthers with 14 points. Pitt shot 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from the field in the opening 20 minutes but were plagued on the offensive end by eight turnovers.
Tae Davis had 12 points for the Fighting Irish in the first half including a desperation bank three to beat the shot clock and stop an early 11-2 Pitt run. Notre Dame was 13-of-23 (.565) from the field but was also troubled by eight first half turnovers.
The back and forth affair continued throughout the second half with the Panthers grabbing a 53-52 lead on a Lowe finish in the lane with just over nine minutes remaining.
Notre Dame used an 8-0 run during a nearly four-minute Pitt scoring drought to grab a 67-56 lead with 2:43 remaining. Leggett drilled a three at the 2:27 mark and Lowe added a pair of free throws with 1:36 remaining to get it back to a two possession game.
Diaz Graham scored on a put back off a missed free throw with 45 seconds left as Pitt cut the deficit to five. Leggett added two more threes around a 4-of-4 effort from the free throw line from J.R. Konieczny with the second one pulling the margin to 72-69 with 23 seconds remaining.
Corhen split a pair of free throws with Pitt digging out a pair of offensive boards before a Brandin Cummings putback pulled the Panthers to 74-72 win with eight seconds remaining.
Pitt nearly came up with a steal on the ensuing in bounds play as Zack Austin gained possession before a jump ball tie up gave Notre Dame possession. Konieczny hit a pair of free throws with five seconds left to seal the Notre Dame win.
Pitt shot 50.9 percent from the field, but were an uncharacteristic 11-of-18 (.611) from the foul line. The Panthers entered the contest leading the ACC in free throw percentage (.789).
Davis led Notre Dame with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Burton added 20 points. Cole Certa came off the bench to lift the Fighting Irish with 12 second half points, including three threes over a two-minute span.
UP NEXT
Pitt returns home to play Georgia Tech Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the Petersen Events Center.
