NEW YORK — After season-opening losses to Navy and Montana, there wasn’t a lot of hope for Pitt’s chances when faced with major-conference opposition.
Those fears were confirmed on Monday, when Penn State handed Pitt a lopsided, 85-54 defeat at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
In the 148th game of men’s basketball played between the Panthers and Nittany Lions dating back to 1906, Penn State’s 31-point margin of victory was the second-highest all time for Penn State against their intrastate rivals.
The game was never close, as the Nittany Lions started on a 16-3 run and led by 26 at the half. Six Penn State players reached double digits in scoring, led by guard Tony Carr, who had 16.
Jared Wilson-Frame led all scorers with 17, helped by a 5-for-12 night from beyond the 3-point arc.
Ryan Luther had a season-low six points and the Panthers were dominated in the paint by Mike Watkins and Lamar Stevens, who each scored 13 points.
Luther, Wilson-Frame, Khameron Davis, Marcus Carr and Parker Stewart all played over 20 minutes for Pitt.
The Panthers will face Oklahoma State in the consolation game of the Legends Classic on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
