PITTSBURGH — Pitt basketball didn’t quite dominate as much as they did in their home opener, but still managed a convincing 89-60 win over Binghamton Friday night at the Petersen Events Center.
The Panthers (2-0) start with two wins in their first two games for the first time since the 2018-19 season, the first season with head coach Jeff Capel at the helm. This also improves the Panthers record all-time over the Bearcats (0-2) to 3-0, with wins at home over them in 2019 and 2009. It is also the Panthers eighth straight victory at home, dating back to January and improves their record over America East teams to 14-1.
Both teams kept it close throughout the initial 10 minutes of the first half, with Pitt holding just a 12-10 lead. Pitt went on an 8-3 run, with 3-pointers from senior forward Blake Hinson and freshman guard Carlton Carrington, but Binghamton kept it close with five straight points to cut it back to 21-18.
The Panthers then went on a 9-0 run, with a 3-pointer and layup from Hinson to lead the way and force the Bearcats to call a timeout. They would increase their advantage to 38-25 with just under three minutes left in the first half, but the Bearcats again decreased their deficit with a 7-2 run to end the first half, down 40-32.
Pitt came out the far better team in the second half, with a 12-4 run out of the break to force a Binghamton timeout. Hinson provided eight points on two 3-pointers and two free throws on that run, which would keep Pitt ahead of Binghamton by more than double-digits the rest of the game.
Pitt basketball
Carrington would continue to improve throughout the second half, as he hit back-t0-back 3-pointers and then completed an and-one opportunity off a step-back opportunity, to increase Pitt’s lead to 67-41 with 13 minutes to go. He would finish with 18 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the floor.
Pitt would dominate Binghamton the rest of the way, outrebounding them 50-32 and increasing their lead to more than 30 points to hold on for the victory.
Hinson came just shy of his career high with 26 points in the victory, shooting 8-for-14 from the field and 4-for-9 from behind the arc.Rhode Island transfer junior guard Ishmael Leggett had a double-double against the Bearcats, with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Pitt also had a great performance from the foul line, going 19-for-27, 70.4%. The best foul line performers were Hinson, who shot 6-for-7 and Leggett, who shot 5-for-6.
Pitt basketball
Pitt basketball will stay at home next Monday, Nov. 13, as they face Florida Gulf Coast at 7 p.m.