Pitt’s dominant start in the ACC opener Tuesday at Miami was followed by a second-half collapse, spoiling a shot at topping one of the league’s best teams.
On Saturday at Petersen Events Center, the Panthers aimed for their first conference win, with Clemson, another top ACC squad, visiting town.
Pitt again led at halftime and put together a more complete effort, but it still didn’t translate to a victory as the Panthers couldn’t close the gap late in a 73-68 defeat.
“We’ve played two top-35 teams, as far as the NET is concerned, in-conference so far,” coach Jeff Capel said. “We’ve led both teams at halftime, and we’ve had a chance to win both games. We just have to figure out how to win. We have to be able to be poised, to not panic and to be able to make plays under duress. … I see us getting better in spurts, we’ve just got to continue to put it all together.”
The Panthers (7-8, 0-2 ACC) took a 35-34 lead into the second half and, with 9 minutes, 10 seconds to play, held a three-point lead.
But from there, Pitt struggled to get the game within a basket. Keeping Clemson (12-3, 2-0) away from the free-throw line down the stretch also proved too tall an order, whereas the Panthers fumbled multiple end-of-game offensive possessions within the 1-minute mark.
Damarco Minor led Pitt with 17 points, followed by Omari Witherspoon (14), Roman Siulepa (12), Barry Dunning Jr. (10) and Cam Corhen (10).
Corhen fouled out with 3:28 to go. Siulepa led the Panthers with seven rebounds, with Dunning contributing six.
Clemson (12-3, 2-0) was led by Jestin Porter with 21 points, and RJ Godfrey and Nick Davidson added 14.
As a team, the Panthers shot 44.2% (23 of 52) from the floor, including 6 of 17 (35.3%) from 3-point range. Clemson hit 53.3% of its baskets (24 of 45) and went 7 of 21 (33.3%) from long range.
Witherspoon, who scored all of his points in the second half, set Pitt up for a chance to steal away a win late.
With 75 seconds on the clock, his driving, spinning layup and ensuing free throw made it a 70-66 score.
But Minor had a 3-pointer blocked on Pitt’s next possession, and Brandin Cummings committed a turnover on the fast break.
Clemson then took care of business at the charity stripe to put away the game.
“Hard-fought game where both teams competed really hard,” Capel said. “The game came down to the team that was able to make the least amount of mistakes, which (Clemson) did. I thought our guys fought.
“We just, in the second half, I thought we wore down. I thought we panicked a little bit at the end and just made some plays that we didn’t need to make, trying to make something good happen.”
To start, it was Siulepa who powered the Panthers offensively. Four minutes into the game, Pitt trailed 8-5.
A few minutes later, Minor hit a 3-pointer and Corhen converted a left-handed floater from the baseline to put Pitt up 10-8 at the 13:37 mark.
At the under-8 media timeout, Clemson was in the lead 19-16.
After a 3-minute, 38-second stretch without a field goal, Corhen drained a 3-pointer from atop the key, giving Pitt a 25-24 lead with 5:01 remaining.
With 2:40 left in the half, a pair of Dunning free throws had Pitt in front 30-26.
A 3-pointer by Minor with 11 seconds on the clock went for the final basket of the half, at which point the Panthers led 35-34.
Five minutes into the second half, an Efrem Johnson 3-pointer made it 44-39 Clemson.
Having fallen into their biggest hole of the afternoon, a seven-point deficit with 14:28 to go, the Panthers responded and got within three.
Minor then made it a one-point game, sinking a fadeaway jumper, and his ensuing free throw made it 51-50 Clemson with 10:51 on the clock.
Witherspoon helped manufacture some momentum for Pitt with a jumper and spinning layup, which Dunning followed with another dunk.
When Clemson coach Brad Brownell called timeout with 9:03 to play, Pitt had jumped ahead 56-53.
It was the Panthers’ final lead of the day.
“I think we’re getting better,” Capel said. “It would be great to get better with a win, but our guys are continuing to work hard. Just a tough one this afternoon.”
At the 6-minute mark, Clemson was up 62-58, riding two straight 3-pointers by Porter.
Welling hit a hook shot in the paint with 4:15 to go and was fouled in the process. After he made his free throw, Clemson led 65-59.
About 45 seconds later, Corhen fouled out and, with two-and-a-half minutes remaining, the Tigers’ lead was 68-61.
“We’ve just got to get back in the gym and work on those small things so we can close out and finish games,” Witherspoon said.
