It’s improbable that Pitt coach Jeff Capel would say anything publicly to reporters that he hasn’t already conveyed to his team in-person.
So the Panthers should have been fully aware of Capel’s expectation, expressed to the media during this week’s ACC coaches conference call, that they play better defense Tuesday night vs. Georgia Tech at Petersen Events Center.
Because Pitt’s last game, a four-point loss to Notre Dame over the weekend in which the Fighting Irish shot over 56% from the floor, featured a defensive effort that was lacking.
Against the Yellow Jackets, defensive woes for Pitt materialized in the form of one individual: Duncan Powell, who torched the Panthers for 26 points, leading Georgia Tech to a 73-67 win.
Powell was particularly potent from downtown, as he hit six 3-pointers, several of which were tightly contested and featured fouls by the Panthers, resulting in four-point-play opportunities.
Despite Powell’s dominance, Pitt (16-12, 7-10 ACC) managed to hang around, responding on several occasions when the Yellow Jackets threatened to take a lead of double-digits and even retaking the lead with 5 minutes, 34 seconds to play.
After falling behind again in the closing minutes, Jaland Lowe hit a 3-pointer with 1:15 left to tie the score 67-67.
After Georgia Tech’s Lance Terry hit a pair of free throws to put his team ahead 69-67, the Panthers had a good look to tie things up again, but Ishmael Leggett was unable to finish an unguarded layup.
Instead, Terry took the ball the other way and made a fastbreak layup to put the Yellow Jackets up 71-67 with 23 seconds left.
Pitt got several looks on its final offensive possession, but nothing would fall.
Lowe led the Panthers with 25 points, followed by Leggett (20) and Cam Corhen (12).
With 6:33 to go, a Lowe 3-pointer got Pitt within 56-54. About a minute later, Brandin Cummings hit one of his own to hand Pitt its first lead since the opening minute of the game.
Pitt was once again in an early hole as Georgia Tech got to work in the paint to take a 20-8 lead shortly after the under-12 media timeout.
Pitt also found an unexpectedly tough customer on the glass in Georgia Tech, which arrived at Petersen Events Center allowing the most rebounds per game (36.3) in the ACC.
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Yet, early on, the Yellow Jackets grabbed rebound after rebound, owning a 12-3 edge in that department around the midway point of the opening half, with those boards producing nine second-chance points.
By game’s end, Georgia Tech had outrebounded Pitt, 37-27.
The Panthers woke up a bit over the ensuing minutes, with a 3-pointer by Leggett trimming their deficit to four with 7:43 left in the half.
Following the under-4 media timeout, Pitt trailed 30-27 thanks to back-to-back buckets by Leggett and Lowe.
After Terry hit a 3-pointer and Powell converted a pair of free throws, the Yellow Jackets jumped in front 35-27 with 90 seconds remaining.
But Pitt had the ball for the final possession of the opening half, and Zack Austin’s 3-pointer as time expired sent the Panthers into the locker room with a slightly more manageable 35-30 deficit.
In the second half, Powell sank a 3 to hand his team a 42-35 lead with about 15 minutes to play, but Corhen responded with a fastbreak dunk, keeping the Panthers within five points.
However moments later, the Yellow Jackets were ahead 46-37 as Powell, after hitting his fifth 3-pointer of the evening, was fouled by Leggett and sank the ensuing free throw.
Though a Leggett triple and a hook shot by Corhen got Pitt within four points with 12:05 to play, the hottest shooter of the evening continued to light the Panthers up.
At the 10:53 mark, Powell drilled his sixth 3-pointer of the night from the left corner and once again was fouled.
Soon thereafter, Powell completed another four-point play to put Georgia Tech up 52-43.