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Both teams have struggled a bit at times in the first half, but at the break, Pitt holds a slim 32-29 lead in Morgantown over host West Virginia. The Panthers started off slowly and trailed much of the first half. Down eight, though, the team started to go on a bit of a run and with about three minutes left, Pitt took their first lead, 26-23.
Pacing the Panthers is starting point guard Tray Woodall. Woodall is the only player on both teams in double figures and his 16 points easily lead the team. For West Virginia, it’s been Truck Bryant and Kevin Jones, leading the way with a combined 17 points.
A bad stretch by the Mountaineers allowed Pittsburgh to get back into it. West Virginia had a stretch of more than seven minutes without a field goal, also turning the ball over five times during that period.
For more on Pitt, check out SB Nation blog Cardiac Hill. For the Mountaineers, visit The Smoking Musket.
More: Breaking down the Backyard Brawl
It was a rough week in New York for the Mountaineers last week. The squad got run off the court at The Garden by St. John's, before dropping a referee-assisted close one in the Carrier Dome. Needless to say, that makes tonight's Backyard Brawl a must win, in hopes of staving off Bob Huggins' first three game losing streak as a Mountaineer head coach. Here's what to watch for as they brawl tonight:
For more on the Backyard Brawl stay tuned to SBNation Pittsburgh, Cardiac Hill and the Smoking Musket.
Pitt and West Virginia will square off on ESPN's Big Monday in another basketball version of the Backyard Brawl.
The Panthers are virtually in survival mode, still clinging to dim hopes of reaching the NCAA tournament. Those hopes have been kept alive with wins last week over Providence and No. 10 Georgetown to move Pitt out of the Big East's basement. Pitt is still nowhere near the bubble for the NCAA's but the team looks significantly better with Tray Woodall now back and healthy.
Other than Woodall, Pitt will need to get production out of its frontcourt as they did against Georgetown. In Saturday's game with the Hoyas, the Panthers' frontcourt played perhaps its best game of the season. Forwards Nasir Robinson and Lamar Patterson combined for 41 points and missed only two shots all game. Forward/center Talib Zanna, who also started, added eight points and a team-high ten rebounds. It's probably not realistic to expect that much production from the three, but if they can contribute anywhere close to that, Pitt should have a shot to win the game.
West Virginia is coming into the game on a two-game slide, having lost road games to St. John's and Syracuse. The game against the Orange was particularly frustrating since the Mountaineers were robbed in the game's final minute when they didn't get a goaltending call that should have tied the contest. They'll no doubt still be furious about the game and will be looking to take it out on their rival.
For the Mountaineers, it's all about Kevin Jones, who is looking like the conference's best player. Jones averages just under 21 points and more than 11 rebounds per game and is a serious candidate for first-team NCAA All-American honors. Pitt can't hope to take Jones completely out of the equation, but if they can force him into some bad shots, they'll have done well. One thing they probably can't rely on is getting him into foul trouble, since Jones has only had more than two fouls all season.
For more on the Pitt Panthers, check out SB Nation's Pitt blog, Cardiac Hill. For more on the Mountaineers, stop by The Smoking Musket.
Pitt Vs. West Virginia: Panthers Win Third Straight, 72-66
More: Analysis of Pitt's big win in Morgantown
After holding a slim halftime lead, the Panthers came out victorious in Morgantown, defeating the Mountaineers 72-66 as part of ESPN's Big Monday.
The difference maker for Pitt was clearly point guard Tray Woodall. Woodall, finished with 24 points, one shy of his career high, and added four rebounds and three assists. His assists were way down from his average of more than seven per game, but Pitt needed practically all of his 24 points to win the game.
West Virginia trailed Pitt by as much as ten in the second half, but was spurred on by a big technical foul against Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins. The fairly mild crowd was absolutely raucous the rest of the way and really kept Pitt on their heels for the game’s final ten minutes. And Kevin Jones’ 21 points and 13 rebounds ensured West Virginia would keep it close.
Free throws were also a huge factor in the game as both teams shot particularly well, making over 80% of their attempts. The Panthers were 21-26 and the Mountaineers, 20-24.
For Pitt, the win doesn’t put them back in the discussion for the NCAA Tournament, but if they can continue to win games, they may surprisingly find themselves back in contention for a bubble spot. The Mountaineers, meanwhile, are now reeling, having lost three in a row and now at 15-8, and they could be seeing their tournament hopes disappear.
For more on the game and the Pitt perspective, head over to SB Nation blog Cardiac Hill. For the West Virginia side, check out The Smoking Musket.
Jan 30 9:36p by Anson Whaley