Pitt beats Holy Cross
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Panthers used a 15-0 run in the middle of the first half to take control of their contest against the Holy Cross Crusaders and coasted to a 58-39 victory Tuesday night.
Michael Young and Jamel Artis led Pitt (9-3) with 13 points apiece while Artis pulled in a game-high nine rebounds.
Malcolm Miller led Holy Cross (5-5) with 11 points.
Pitt scored the game’s first three baskets, aided by a pair of jumpers from Cameron Wright, before Malachi Alexander scored Holy Cross’ first five points. The teams traded baskets as Pitt led 10-9 with less than 12 minutes to play in the first half after Taylor Abt’s layup.
The Panthers then held the Crusaders scoreless for the next seven minutes as Joseph Uchebo scored six points and Young added five to spark Pitt’s run.
Anthony Thompson broke the Crusaders’ scoreless skid with five minutes to play on a slashing drive to the basket that ended in a reverse layup.
Pitt’s run boosted the Panthers to a 27-14 halftime lead.
After trailing by 13 at half, the Crusaders cut their deficit to 10 points at 29-19 but got no closer.
Pitt used a 16-2 run to put the game away, and led by as much as 22 points with four minutes left in the game.
The Panthers outrebounded the Crusaders 44-25 and pulled in 15 offensive rebounds alone. Pitt shot 42 percent from the field and held Holy Cross to a 30 percent mark, the second-best mark posted by the Panthers’ defense this season.
