WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va — On Sunday night, Pitt (6-1) dropped a close battle to the Wisconsin Badgers at The Greenbrier, 81-75.
After Wisconsin scored the first bucket of the game, Pitt scored the next nine, seizing momentum early with points from Zack Austin and Cam Corhen. Just two minutes into the action, Pitt lost a key piece as Damian Dunn exited the game with an injury. He later returned to the bench with a wrap on his hand, and did not put weright on his left leg.
Pitt Guard Damian Dunn Leaves Game After Injury
Wisconsin was down by double digits early, but didn’t fret. The Badgers stormed back behind guards John Blackwell and John Tonje. Nolan Winter also delivered early buckets inside, matching up against Pitt’s front court. Tonje and Blackwell each contributed eight points in the first half for the Badgers.
Pitt built and maintained its early lead behind big man Cam Corhen and Jaland Lowe, who combined for 18 points in the half. Corhen threw down several slam dunks in the first half alone, coming from dimes from Lowe (two assists in the half) and Leggett (three).
In the second half, Blackwell and the Badgers quickly cut Pitt’s lead down to just four points off a tough bucket from the star sophomore. However, Pitt answered with several buckets from Corhen, Lowe, Leggett, and Guillermo Diaz Graham. To regain the lead around ten minutes into the half, Corhen threw down an alley-oop slam and earned a foul call as well. With 8:29 left in the game, Wisconsin’s Max Klesmit drained a huge three to once again regain the lead, 60-58, over Pitt.
With 6:19 remaining, Wisconsin kickstarted a 9-2 run, extending its lead up to a game-high seven. However, Lowe quieted the Badger faithful quickly with an and-one on the other end, hitting a layup through contact and making the free throw. With four minutes to play, Pitt trailed by four.
In the final chapter of an intense, back-and-forth game, Pitt crawled back to within one point on a beautiful drive-and-kick from Amsal Delalic to Zack Austin for three. However, the Badgers answered once again with a three pointer from Kamari McGee, his second of the game. On the next possession, Tonje buried another difficult floater with his left hand, building the lead up to six points.
With 30 seconds to play, Pitt’s Leggett missed a three pointer, and the Badgers dribbled out the clock.
Pitt drops to 6-1 on the season with the loss, and will now travel to Ohio State on Friday.
It’s hard to accept that we got beat at the foul line by crappy officiating. Wisconsin got away with pushes and grabs and the calls weren’t even the other way.The replay just showed Tonje driving with a leading elbow-no call?!
The officials did a great job of orchestrating Wisconsin’s comeback and eventual win.
Once again… a Pitt team snatched defeat from the jaws of victory ….
Couldn’t watch alot of the game due to “technical difficulties” but Wisconsin got a lot of calls that went their way and I’m not being bias. Wisconsin is generally good early in the season so I’m not not overly concerned unless it was a blowout. Need to win at Ohio State & Mississippi State now if we plan on going dancing in March.
Head official Earl Walton was barred from the 2011 Big East Tournament for poor officiating (Pitt was #1 seed). The Big Ten picked him up immediately where he has been their darling ever since, including lots of Wisconsin games. In 2015, the Siena basketball coach called for Walton to be barred from their games because “he hates me.” It’s no surprise that Wisconsin and Tonje could do no wrong and Pitt could do no right in the eyes of the officials.
PS… If the Big Ten inserts Walton into the Pitt-Ohio State game this week, Pitt doesn’t have a chance.