Pitt Tops Syracuse

Saturday, February 25

Pittsburgh, PA

5 PM

Syracuse University

16-13,9-9ACC

Pittsburgh

21-8,14-4ACC

Syracuse

Pittsburgh

2/25/2023 7:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Sophomore forward Benny Williams led all scorers with a career-high 24 points and a team-best nine rebounds in Syracuse's (16-13, 9-9), 99-82, loss to Pittsburgh (21-8, 14-4) on Saturday night inside the Peterson Events Center.

Senior guard Joseph Girard (19 points) connected on a trio of 3-pointers, senior center Jesse Edwards (17) made seven-of-eight at the foul line and grabbed seven boards, while freshman guard Judah Mintz (16) had a hand on six assists.

HOW THE GAME WAS DECIDED
The Panthers Greg Elliot went to the line and made two-of-two, Jamarius Burton collared a field goal, and a 3-pointer by Blake Hinson put SU in a 17-point disadvantage. Pittsburgh held its third-highest advantage of the game, 85-68, and held out over the remaining five minutes to ensure the Orange Loss.

THRILLER IN THE PETE
Pittsburgh opened the scoring, accumulating nine of the first 11 points of the game. Burton jump started the opening four minutes for the Panthers with a 3-pointer.

After Girard connected on two shots at the charity stripe, Syracuse and Pitt traded five consecutive 3-pointers. The Orange accounted for three triples from Girard (two) and Williams (one). Girard's second 3-pointer of the day put SU within two of Pitt, 15-13, with 12:31 in the opening stanza.

Federiko Federiko responded for the Panthers with a second-chance layup, but Williams knotted the matchup halfway through the first, 17-17, by combining a shot at the line with a 3-pointer.

In the back half of the opening frame, the ballgame was tied five additional times and the Orange managed to maintain the lead for three minutes of action.

Syracuse entered the intermission down, 37-33, to Pittsburgh.

PANTHERS BREAK AWAY
Twenty-five seconds after returning from halftime, Edwards made one shot at the line before Hinson hit back-to-back three-pointers for the Panthers. Nelly Cummings dished out both assists on Hinson's triples. Two minutes into the second half Pitt led, 43-34.

Eleven minutes later, Pitt's Greg Elliot connected a 3-pointer from long range, Nelly Cummings contributed a layup, and Federiko expanded the Panthers' lead to 15 with a dunk, 73-58.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Williams had eight field goals and five triples, locking in career highs in both categories.
Syracuse saw its fourth lineup change of the season (Judah Mintz, Joseph Girard III, Justin Taylor, Benny Williams, and Jesse Edwards). Taylor earned the first start of his career and Williams appeared for the 21st time this campaign.
Girard (1,616 career points) shuffled past Dave Johnson (1,614) into 18th on the Syracuse career scoring ledger.
Girard's three 3-pointers ballooned his career total to 292, good for 14th on the ACC career triples index.
The Panthers have topped the Orange in five of the last six gatherings, but Syracuse holds a 74-50 advantage in the all-time series.

UP NEXT
Syracuse will be back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 28, as it hosts Georgia Tech inside the JMA Wireless Dome. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. and the game will air on RSN (ACCNX Locally).

TICKETS
Syracuse men's basketball tickets are available online (cuse.com/tickets), by phone (1-888-DOMETIX), and at the Dome Box Office (Gate B).
For complete coverage of Syracuse men's basketball, follow the team on Twitter (@Cuse_MBB) and Instagram (@cuse_mbb).

Gallery: (2-26-2023) Syracuse at Pittsburgh