Pitt didn’t have much of a struggle against Maryland Eastern Shore tonight, leading by 15 at halftime and winning, 97-64.
It did take the Panthers a little bit of time to begin to pull away. The Panthers led only 26-22 with about six minutes left in the first half. But they opened up the 15-point halftime lead and began the second half hitting an amazing 17 of their first 20 shots.
Gilbert Brown showed exactly why he can be one of Pitt’s hardest players to figure out. He had an excellent game tonight, scoring a career-high 28 points. Games like these make him look like an NBA prospect, but he’s also capable of completely disappearing at times. When Brown is on, though, the team is on another level.
Pitt also got a good game from Gary McGhee, who finished with a double double, tallying ten points and ten rebounds. Tonight’s game marked the third in which McGhee recorded a double double this season and the first since the City game again Duquesne on December 1st.
One player who had an off night was Brad Wanamaker. Wanamaker, who averaged nearly 14 points per game, was held scoreless. He did, however, find other ways to get involved. He had six assists (to zero turnovers), three rebounds, and added a block and a steal.
Pitt now faces American University on Wednesday before a potential top matchup with UConn on the following Monday.
For more post-game analysis, check out Pitt blog, Cardiac Hill.