It took some time, but host Pittsburgh warmed up Saturday evening against Notre Dame, earning a 70-60 win in a matchup between teams trending in different directions.
Blake Hinson tied for a game-high 17 points for the Panthers (14-8, 5-6 ACC), while Carlton Carrington helped with 16 points.
Pitt started slow, scoring just eight points through the first 11-plus minutes, but the Panthers heated up on a 16-3 run later in the first half. Both Carrington and Hinson had a pair of 3-pointers during that run, with Hinson’s on consecutive possessions.
The Panthers took a 28-22 lead into halftime.
The Fighting Irish (7-15, 2-9) didn’t have a player with more than four points in the initial 20 minutes. Thanks in large part to a Markus Burton and-one and 3-pointer on the next touch, Notre Dame knotted the game at 30 by the time 1:25 had passed in the second half.
Zack Austin, Hinson, and Carrington replied with treys over the next 1:34, accounting for a 9-0 surge. Pitt — which entered as tops in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 9.3 treys per game — began the night 0-for-9 from deep. They hit on seven of their next nine and, overall, finished 10-for-25 from long range.
The Panthers’ advantage peaked at 17 twice, first after Jaland Lowe’s layup with 4:12 to play.
Burton paced the offensively-challenged Fighting Irish with 17 points. Notre Dame entered Saturday ranked last in scoring average in the ACC at 62.0 points per game.
Burton also had four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Tae Davis added 16 points for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have lost six in a row.
Pitt has won consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference home games after beginning 0-4. The Panthers have also won four of their last five outings overall.
–Field Level Media