After holding a comfortable nine-point lead in the first half against Washington State, Pitt had to hold on until the very end to secure a victory.
The Panthers’ offense disappeared for much of the second half. So much so, that the team went more than seven minutes without a field goal over one stretch. That enabled the Cougars to come back and tie the game late. Pitt eventually opened up a six-point lead with about ten seconds left, but the fun wasn’t over just yet. Guarding a player, Pitt guard John Johnson was whistled for an intentional foul.
After two Washington State free throws and a quick basket, the Cougars found themselves down only two. But Lamar Patterson was fouled and hit both of the ensuing free throws, sealing the victory.
The frustrating thing for Pitt fans was that the game seemed to dominated by the Panthers, but they still found themselves in a nailbiter at the end. The team was without star guard Ashton Gibbs, but Washington State has also been without their star, Brock Motum, for both games. Their health is sure to be a topic of conversation over the next two days before the third and final game at the Pete.
For more on the game and Pitt basketball, check out SB Nation blog, Cardiac Hill.