Pitt wins 6th in a row vs. LSU in the Greenbrier Tipoff

Pitt and LSU met Friday afternoon in the Greenbrier Tipoff in White Sulpher Springs, W.Va., but the Panthers’ 74-63 win was unlike the teams’ last meeting on Jan. 31, 1969. That day, Pete Maravich scored 40 points in LSU’s 120 -79 win against Coach Buzz Ridl’s Panthers.

But Pitt put on a shooting display of its own Friday early in the second half, scoring the first 13 points after halftime en route to its sixth straight victory. Pitt is 6-0 to start the season for the second time in coach Jeff Capel’s seven seasons and will play the UCF/Wisconsin winner on Sunday. These teams met in the second game of the Greenbrier doubleheader.

Jaland Lowe led the Panthers with a career-high 22 points, followed by Ishmael Leggett (21), Cam Corhen (14) and Zack Austin (10). Damian Dunn, who was Pitt’s second-leading scorer at 15.2 points per game. game, managed just two before fouling out with 7 minutes, 1 second remaining in the game. Lowe, who had a triple-double Monday against VMI, led the Panthers with eight rebounds and six assists.

While Pitt made its first five shots of the second half, LSU (4-1) missed its first 12 until Cam Carter scored on a layup with 13:14 left in the game.

Pitt scored in a variety of ways to take a 40-28 lead that included one of Lowe’s four 3-pointers, dunks by Austin and Corhen, 2-point baskets by Leggett and Damian Dunn and Austin’s two foul shots.

LSU cut the lead to 43-38 with 10:52 left, but Lowe answered with consecutive 3s in a span of 61 seconds. Eventually, Pitt’s lead ballooned to 51-40 when Lowe hit a 2-point jumper, ending an eight-point run by the sophomore point guard.

However, the Tigers responded and trailed only 58-54 with 5:26 left.

Early in the game, strong defense — or poor shooting — kept the score low, with the teams combining to miss 23 of their first 33 shots.

Pitt entered the game shooting 51.3% from the field and averaging 88.2 points, but the Panthers finished the half trailing 28-27 while shooting 31.3% (10 of 32) with six turnovers. They also lost the rebounding game in the first 20 minutes 24-18.

Pitt took an early lead and held it through most of the first half, thanks in part to 3-point shots from Austin, Lowe, Brandin Cummings and Leggett in a six-minute span.

After its early shooting slump, LSU overcame its biggest first-half deficit (18-10) and got back-to-back 3s from Jalen Reed and Jordan Sears.

Lowe made a steal late in the first half, drove to the basket and set up Corhen with an alley-oop dunk and a 25-20 lead.

Later in the half on a half-court offensive set, Lowe and Corhen combined for a similar basket, but LSU took its 28-27 lead into halftime when Lowe complained to the officials after a turnover and was given a technical foul.

LSU’s Carter made one of two foul shots for the Tigers’ halftime margin.