Pitt and Vanderbilt squared off at the Petersen Events Center on Wednesday night in a matchup of high-major teams that finished below .500 last season, and the result was a competitive but sloppy contest that saw the Commodores top the Panthers 68-52.
The two struggling teams kicked off the evening with an exchange of turnovers, but Vanderbilt would settle down and find its way to the basket, jumping out to a 5-2 lead. That early advantage would be quickly conceded, though, as the Panthers went on a 16-4 run that featured made three-pointers by Femi Odukale and Nate Santos and gave them an 18-9 lead.