Pitt Comes Up Short Against Syracuse, 60-55

PITTSBURGH — Pitt and Syracuse are traditional rivals since the days both schools were in the Big East Conference. Saturday at the Petersen Events Center while hosting the Orange, the Panthers wore royal blue and yellow throwbacks and wore the names of former greats on the backs of their warmup shirts.

The teams delivered with a traditional Big East rock fight, as the Orange outlasted the Panthers, 60-55 to continue Pitt’s winless 2017-18 ACC season.

Both teams struggled mightily on offense, with the victorious Orange shooting 35.2 percent (19 of 54) from the floor. The Panthers fared worse at 27.7 percent (18 of 65). Both teams played largely identical 2-3 zone defenses, meaning there were 3-point shots over the top there for the taking, but Pitt and Syracuse combined to go 24.4 percent (12-for-49) from 3-point range.

Syracuse finally broke away from what had been tight game with a 7-0 run after the midway mark of the second half to give the Orange a seven-point lead. Pitt got the lead back to six points with 29.2 seconds left, but was only able to claw back one more point before time expired.

For the second straight game, it was Jared Wilson-Frame leading the way for the Panthers. The junior college transfer scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for his first career double. He had 22 points in Pitt’s loss to NC State on Wednesday.

Freshman point guard Marcus Carr had a 16 points, his highest total in ACC play. Terrell Brown had a career high six blocks.

Pitt guard Khameron Davis had seven points and six rebounds before leaving the game late in the second half with a head injury.

With the loss, Pitt has now dropped 13 straight ACC games. Up next, Pitt will take to the road for a three-game swing. They’ll visit Miami on Jan. 31, North Carolina on Feb. 3 and Clemson on Feb. 8.