Robinson's Late Runner Helps Pitt Tops No. 8 Notre Dame
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh guard James Robinson hit a runner with 12 seconds remaining to give the Panthers the lead for good in a 76-72 upset of No. 8 Notre Dame on Saturday.
Robinson finished with 14 points and 10 assists for his first career double-double, including a twisting basket in traffic after Notre Dame's Jerian Grant gave the Irish a 72-71 lead on two free throws with 31 seconds to go.
Notre Dame's Steve Vasturia took an open 3-pointer that clanged off the rim on the Irish's next possession. Jamel Artis made two free throws and Robinson stole the inbounds pass to seal it as the Panthers (14-8, 4-5 ACC) ended a three-game losing streak.
Grant had 14 points for Notre Dame (20-3, 8-2), including all nine during a 9-0 run that turned a 71-63 deficit into a 72-71 lead.
Pitt, desperately needing a marquee win to kickstart a sagging season, hung with the Irish early then got tough late. The game was tied at 63 when Chris Jones made a lay-up to put the Panthers up. Cameron Wright followed with an emphatic block on Notre Dame's Demetrius Jackson, leading to an Artis basket. Michael Young followed with two free throws and Pitt seemed to be in control up eight.
The Irish, however, responded behind Grant. The senior guard had just five points in the first 36 minutes before putting Notre Dame in front on four free throws, a runner and a 3-pointer.
It wasn't enough, however, for the Irish to improve to 5-0 on the road in conference play for the first time ever.
Artis led Pitt with 19 points and eight rebounds. Young finished with 16 points and Wright added 14 as the Panthers improved to 14-3 against Top 10 teams at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt shot a season-high 58 percent from the floor and assisted on 24 of its 31 baskets.
Jackson led the Irish with 15 points. Vasturia had 12 and Zach Auguste added 12 points and six boards but Notre Dame could not back up its emotional victory over the Blue Devils on Wednesday.
The Irish hardly came out flat. Notre Dame attacked the Panthers inside behind Auguste, who had little trouble getting to the rim. The Irish's first six baskets came in the paint on either layups or dunks.
The Panthers, needing to get something going quickly to salvage any real shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, kept pace behind Wright and Young. Notre Dame took an early 20-13 lead on consecutive 3-pointers by Pat Connaughton and V.J. Beachem but Pitt fought back by having Robinson and Josh Newkirk penetrate and find teammates for easy shots.
It made for entertaining if not exactly defense-oriented basketball, with the Irish taking a slim one-point advantage into the break.
TIP-INS
Notre Dame: The Irish are 16-2 in their last 18 games. ... Notre Dame leads the all-time series 31-29 but saw its two-game streak at the Petersen Events Center end. ... The Irish went more than five minutes without a field goal in the second half.
Pitt: The Panthers gave sixth-man Newkirk his first start of the season. Newkirk finished with six points and four assists against just one turnover. ... Pitt's three-game losing streak was its longest since an eight-game slide in 2011-12.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame hosts Boston College on Wednesday.
Pitt hosts Bryant on Monday.
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