Pitt
5-2,0-0ACC
Missouri
6-2,0-0SEC
Panthers Fall to Missouri in ACC-SEC Challenge
11/28/2023 10:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH - Pitt nearly recovered from a season-low shooting effort before falling to Missouri, 71-64, in a tightly contest matchup at the Petersen Events Center. Blake Hinson scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, but the rest of the Panthers went just 9-of-35 (.257) from the floor as Pitt moved to 5-2 on the season.
Hinson went 5-of-8 from three-point range and snapped an eight-minute stretch with no field goals with consecutive threes with 2:59 and 2:30 remaining to cut the score to 64-62.
Missouri scored on a tough finish in traffic to push the lead back to four and extended it to five after beating the press with a lob dunk following a free throw by the Panthers. Pitt was unable to knock down an open look from three with 44 seconds remaining and Sean East II went 3-of-4 from the foul line in the final minute to secure the win for the Tigers.
Pitt shot a season-low 34.0 percent (16-of-47) from the field, including a 7-of-25 (.280) effort from three-point range. While struggling from the field, the Panthers remained in striking distance with a 25-of-31 (.806) effort from the free throw line. Despite the strong effort overall from the charity stripe, Pitt missed the front end of a pair of 1-and-1s and was just 6-of-10 (.600) from the line over the final seven minutes of action.
Guillermo Diaz Graham started an 11-3 run for the Panthers with a three-point play heading into the under 12 timeout as Pitt climbed to a 23-17 lead with 7:35 remaining in the opening half. Missouri countered with 13-6 run over the final five minutes of the half to take a 38-35 lead into intermission.
The back and forth first half featuring 13 lead changes and six ties as Missouri went 6-of-13 from beyond the arch, while Pitt was just 3-of-10 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes.
The Panthers handled Missouri's aggressive defense and made 12-of-13 free throws before the half, including 11 in a row after Federiko Federiko split a pair of free throws on Pitt's opening possession. Hinson and Carlton Carrington both scored eight points in the first half, while Tamar Bates and Sean East II both hit a pair of threes and finished the half with 10 points, apiece, for the Tigers.
Hinson breakaway dunk capped a 7-0 Pitt run to give the Panthers a 44-42 lead at the under 16 timeout. Missouri countered with an 8-0 run to go up 50-44 with 13:03 remaining.
Pitt missed eight consecutive field goal attempts, including five three-pointers from the 10:43 to 2:59 mark as Missouri pulled ahead. Hinson's late three-point shooting nearly pulled the Panthers through before ultimately falling short.
Carrington added 13 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Leggett finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Tuesday's contest was the first of the season where the Panthers did not have four or more double-figure scorers.
East II led Missouri with 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists with Noah Carter coming up big with 13 points and eight rebounds. Tamar Bates contributed 12 points and Caleb Grill came off the bench to hit a pair of threes in a 10-point outing.
EXTENDING FT STREAK
Leggett went 8-of-8 from the foul line to extend his consecutive made free throw steak to 20. He is 28-of-31 (.903) from the line on the season.
RAINING THREES
Hinson made five three-point field goals and has now made three or more threes in each of the past six games. He has made 24 threes on the year and 118 in 43 career games at Pitt.
NOT ON THE BOARDS
Pitt was outrebounded, 36-33, for the first time this season. The Panthers entered the game ranked among the ACC leaders in rebounding and rebound margin.
UP NEXT
Pitt continues its five-game stretch of Power Six opponents with its ACC opener against Clemson Sunday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center.
