‘Big John’ became ‘Big Game John’ Saturday evening.
Pitt sophomore John Hugley scored 21 points, grabbed ten rebounds and dished out six assists, as Pitt (10-16, 5-10 ACC) grabbed it’s first win over NC State since 2014, 71-69, at the Petersen Events Center.
“Today he was just magnificent,” senior guard Jamarius Burton said on the Pitt Radio Network postgame show. “He’s making the right plays and finding the right teammates open. Right now, he’s just locked in.”
The Panthers rallied back from down by five points at half, as Hugley score 12 points and collected all of his assists after halftime.
The win gives Pitt back-to-back ACC road wins following Wednesday’s victory at NC State.
“A big time, gutty win for us,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said. “It’s been an incredibly busy week, and to be at our best in the last two, I’m really proud of our guys.”
A team win, for certain, but one that comes with a key performance from Hugley, who had scored 11 points in his previous three games.
“I just had to stay more disciplined and listen to what coach was telling me and just staying consistent,” Hugley said. “I was in a slump, but that was just from teams watching film and executing great defense. I’m just happy I’m back, helping my brothers.
“I just have to keep playing with this pace I’m playing with, keep making smart passes, not rushing anything or making sloppy passes.”
Capel didn’t lose faith in his big man, a player who played just seven games last season.
“You teach,” Capel said of how Hugley worked through the slump. “This time of year is new for John. He didn’t get past December last year. So late January and February are difficult times, especially for freshmen. And that’s essentially what he is.”
Pitt also got big efforts from Ithiel Horton, who scored 17 points, including 15 in the second half, and Jamarius Burton, who also added 17.
“It’s a good win for us,” said Capel of his team, which played its fifth game in 11 days. “We have a day off tomorrow, thank goodness, where we can catch our breath a little bit and get away from basketball and then get back Monday.”
Key stats:
Foul Line - The Panthers went 23-25 at the charity stripe, including a 14-14 mark in the second half. Burton was 6-6. Horton was 4-4, including two foul shots with 11.2 seconds left to stretch Pitt’s lead back to three points. And Hugley scored 13 of his 21 points at the line, missing just two free throws.
Great on the glass - Pitt dominated the boards, out-rebounding NC State 45-25. The Panthers grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and scored nine second chance points off the offensive boards. Hugley pulled in five offensive rebounds.
Up next:
The Panthers travel to Chapel Hill for a Wednesday night showdown with North Carolina at 8 p.m.