Pitt struggled tonight from the outside in the early going, missing their first seven shots from behind the arc before Xavier Johnson hit one from the top of the key. Eric Hamilton impressed early with solid work on the glass and two nice finishes around the rim. At the ten minute mark of the first half, Pitt led 16-2.
After Pitt’s early surge, both teams settled down and traded baskets the rest of the half. The stars for Pitt were Johnson (9 points, 3-4 from deep, 4 assists, 0 turnovers) and Eric Hamilton (12 points, 8 rebounds). Beyond Johnson, the rest of the team was a combined 0-8 from long distance.