PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s the jerseys, the simple reason Zack Austin said with a smile as to why he was able to block five shots, a pair in crucial moments to lift the Panthers (14-6, 5-4 ACC) to a 73-65 comeback win over North Carolina (13-9, 6-4 ACC) Tuesday night at the Petersen Events Center.
The Panthers wore their alternate black jerseys and Austin said the last time he wore them he also blocked five shots.
“I just think it’s the jerseys, for real,” Austin said with a smile. “I just had the same mindset. The opportunity presented itself, so I wanted to block some shots and I did.”
“This guy is super special,” said Pitt guard Jaland Lowe with Austin sitting feet from him at the postgame news conference. “He’s a super vital part in everything that we do. That’s just what we expect out of him. We hold him to a high standard. He also holds himself to a high standard.”
Head coach Jeff Capel joked that Austin was blocking everything, but he really started his impact down the stretch with a fundamental play. Panthers trailing by one with 2:35 to play in the game, Austin gets a pass from Lowe after a Cam Corhen steal. With a defender closing in, Austin pump-fakes a shot in front of the Pitt bench, takes a gathering dribble to his left and nails a three to give Pitt a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, 67-65. Austin would finish with 15 points (3-5 from 3)
It looked like the Tar Heels would tie it at the 1:28 mark as Ian Jackson got by his defender, but there was Austin blocking a floater and the loose ball grabbed by Ishmael Leggett, it turned into a Cam Corhen jumper for a four-point lead with 1:04 to play off another Lowe assist.
Carolina called timeout down four points with a minute left, Elliott Cadeau, who was 5 of 9 shooting in the game, sets up for a corner three, but Austin stretches out for the block.
“It’s huge, it’s huge,” Capel said of the impacts of those blocks. “Especially when he is able to recover and get out and block a three. They are big momentum plays.”
“When he comes in and makes plays like that, it just ignites everything,” Lowe said. “Gives us a lot of confidence in everything that we do because if we give up a drive, we know we got this guy behind us. He’s just got everybody’s backs and we love that about him.”
“It gets me going,” Austin said. “I think the blocked shots really changed the game. I think the basketball gods reward good defense every time.”
Lowe said they played with so much more intensity in the second half, ending the game on a 14-2 run and limited the Tar Heels to 21 second-half points. He said if they have that mindset, fighting and playing every possession like it was their last, they will win a lot of games.
Notes
· Each team finished with 44% field goal shooting
· North Carolina was 6-13 from three in the first half and 1-11 in the second
· Pitt had a 22-4 advantage in points off turnovers as the Panthers committed just 6 turnovers
· Panthers were a +5 in steals and a +7 in blocks
· Lowe finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals
· Ishmael Leggett 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
· Cam Corhen 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks
· Pitt played only 7 players with 6 bench points
Up Next
Another Saturday road game, the Panthers at Wake Forest (15-6, 7-3 ACC). Panthers pregame with the Voice of the Panthers Bill Hillgrove, Pitt great Curtis Aiken and Cale Berger begins at 11:30a with the tip at noon on 93.7 The Fan.