Freshmen Power Pitt In Rout Of New Orleans
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Pitt's three freshman guards combined for 65 points in a 99-57 rout of New Orleans on Thursday night.
Trey McGowens set a career high with 24 points, Xavier Johnson had 21 points and Au'Diese Toney set a career high with 20 points.
The Panthers took a 26-point lead into intermission and then built upon it in the second half. An 11-0 run just past the halfway point of the second period pushed the Pitt advantage to 38 points.
The 42-point victory was Pitt's third win by 30 or more points this season. The Panthers didn't have any such wins in each of the last two seasons.
Bryson Robinson had 11 points to lead New Orleans.
The Privateers entered the game fourth in the nation in turnovers forced and steals per game, but it was the Panthers that did the pilfering. Pitt forced 22 turnovers and scored 32 points off turnovers. New Orleans managed just six.
The game was the 300th played at Pitt's Petersen Events Center. The Panthers own a 247-53 record in the building, which opened in 2002.
BIG PICTURE
New Orleans: The Privateers have struggled away from home all season and is 0-4 with a minus-95 point differential on the road and are 5-1 with a plus-126 point differential at home.
Pitt: Played its first game without senior Sidy N'Dir, who will miss four to six weeks with a right leg injury. Khameron Davis saw increased playing time in his absence. Davis finished with seven points in 15 minutes.
UP NEXT
New Orleans: Will play its third and final major-conference opponent of the season at Baylor on Dec. 29.
Pitt: Will wrap up its non-conference schedule by hosting Colgate on Dec. 29.
(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)