PITTSBURGH — After missing one game with an ankle injury, Pitt guard Ishmael Leggett returned to the starting lineup as the Panthers took on the Stanford Cardinal in the third Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season.
With the senior star leading the way, Pitt overcame a slow start as it rolled past Stanford 83-68 Saturday night at the Petersen Events Center.
Leggett showcased his grit and importance by leading the Panthers with 21 points on 9-of-9 shooting from inside the arc. He added six rebounds and three assists in the win.
Pitt (12-2, 3-0 ACC) had a tall task in front of them with guarding Stanford’s 7-foot-1 center Maxime Raynaud, who led the ACC in points with 20.8 and rebounds with 11.9 entering the game. That scoring touch continued for Raynaud with 21 points, along with five rebounds.
The senior forward made his presence known in a hurry. He scored nine of Stanford’s first 11 points, including a triple and an impressive take down the lane and finish.
Stanford (9-5, 1-2 ACC) stretched its early lead to nine points with a layup from Aidan Cammann to put the Cardinal ahead 22-13.
Pitt struggled early from beyond the arc, hitting on one of its first six attempts, while turning the ball over six times with a trio of them from point guard Jaland Lowe.
For the second-straight game, Pitt stared down an early deficit, but quickly turned it on after the under-eight media timeout that was ignited by a Zack Austin triple.
The Panthers would go on an 8-0 run behind the play of Leggett as he took a pair of strong drives into the paint and finished. He would head to the free-throw line on the former and connect on the three-point play.
Off the bench, Jorge Diaz Graham added a spark behind the arc and defensively as the Panthers turned up the intensity. With an aggressive defensive stand, Pitt forced a Cardinal turnover and sent it up the floor before Diaz Graham connected on a three to bring the Panthers within a point.
Pitt would extend its lead to 33-28 thanks to another triple from Jorge that was set up by a skip pass from brother Guillermo Diaz Graham.
The Panthers would close the first half on a 23-5 run behind 55 percent shooting from the floor as Pitt led 38-30 heading into the locker room.
Momentum carried over for the Panthers as they would score the first six points of the second half, forcing a timeout from Stanford after a Diaz Graham mid-range jumper.
It took nearly seven minutes for the Cardinal to score a field goal with Chisom Okpara hitting a 3-pointer. However, Pitt had already piled it on, gaining a 20-point advantage with a Diaz Graham triple and a thunderous putback slam to make it 55-35 Pitt.
Pitt continued to bring it on both ends of the floor, especially from Austin as he brought down a two-handed rebound and then not long after threw down a ridiculous reverse putback slam.
Lowe finished with 16 points as Guillermo Diaz Graham scored 12, along with six rebounds for the Panthers. Austin added 11 points.
Pitt continues ACC play on Tuesday against the fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils. Opening tip is set for 7 p.m. from Cameron Indoor Stadium.
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