University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
4-0,0-0ACC
Butler
2-2,0-0Big East
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | 34 | 42 | 76 |
| Butler | 42 | 22 | 64 |
11/13/2026 9:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
INDIANAPOLIS – The Pitt men's basketball team held Butler to 22 points after halftime and rallied from a double-digit deficit for the second time this year to defeat the Bulldogs 76-64 Friday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler entered the game averaging 92.0 points per game but were held 28 points below its season average.
Pitt trailed 42-34 at the break and Butler led by as many as 11 points in the second half. But the Panthers used an 18-3 run midway through the second half to turn an eight-point deficit into a seven-point lead.
Butler led 51-43 with 12:58 to play when Pitt made its run to take over. Naithan George, who flirted with a triple-double, hit a three-pointer at the top of the key. After a media timeout, Akir Souare had a slam dunk to pull the Panthers within three.
The Bulldogs tried to weather the storm with a three-pointer but Jonathan Powell immediately answered with his own bomb. After a Butler missed three-pointer, Chase Foster drove and scored through contact. His free-throw tied the game for the first time.
Each team came up with empty possession, but Jalil Bethea gave Pitt the lead for good with a corner three. Foster followed with a fadeway jumper in the lane and Powell made a couple of free-throws that put Pitt ahead 61-54.
From there, the Pitt defense turned up the intensity and Butler made just 1-of-11 shots down the stretch as the Panthers pulled away.
Five Pitt players scored in double-digits with Powell posting a game-high 17 points, adding six rebounds. Foster came off the bench for 15 points (11 in the second half), six rebounds, two blocks and two assists, while Baye Ndongo had 13 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks. George had 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals, while A'lahn Sumler had 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Pitt held Butler to just 33 percent shooting and the Bulldogs were 7-of-34 from three. They entered the game making 14.0 three-pointers per game, among the top 10 in the country. Pitt, on the other hand, shot 46 percent from the field and made 16-of-20 (80 percent) free-throws. The Panthers had 16 assists on 26 baskets.
Pitt improves to 4-0 on the season and will return home to host Villanova Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Villanova is 2-1 on the year and will host Rider, a team Pitt defeated 95-57, Saturday prior to Tuesday night's matchup.
