Louisville snaps Pitt’s three-game winning streak
By: Ryan Bertonaschi
Montrezl Harrell and Terry Rozier scored a combined 50 points for No. 9 Louisville and the Cardinals (20-4, 8-3 ACC) overcame a six-point second-half deficit to down the Pitt Panthers (16-9, 5-6 ACC) 69-56 before 22,132 fans at the KFC Yum! Center Wednesday night.
The Panthers made just two of their final 15 attempted shots from the floor after grabbing a 45-39 lead midway through the second half. After the game, Pitt’s Sheldon Jeter, who, in place of Cameron Wright (left ankle), started his first game since he was a freshman at Vanderbilt, told reporters that “intimidation” kept the Panthers from prevailing.
“During that stretch [early in the second half], we played like we were going to win the game. Then after we started seeing Harrell yell a little bit and a couple of guys got their shot blocked, we were like ‘Ah we don’t want to go down there [to Pitt’s basket] anymore,’” Jeter said.
Harrell, a preseason All-American, scored 28, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked five shots.
Michael Young led Pitt with 16 points and nine rebounds. Jamel Artis contributed with 15 points.
Louisville shot 50 percent from the floor, marking the 10th game this season that the Panthers have allowed an opposing team to make at least half of its attempted shots in a game. However, Pitt held the Cardinals scoreless from outside the arc. It was the first time since 1992 that Louisville did not hit a 3-pointer in a game.
Pitt returns to action Saturday to host No. 12 North Carolina. Tipoff is set for noon at the Petersen Events Center.
