Behind a dominant performance from Ishmael Leggett, who recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, the Pittsburgh Panthers defeated the Miami Hurricanes 74-65 on Saturday, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Cameron Corhen added 17 points, while Zack Austin also secured a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers (15-10, 6-8 ACC). Amsal Delalic contributed 14 points, and Brandin Cummings finished with 11. The victory marked a pivotal turnaround for Pittsburgh, who leveraged a strong defensive stand in the second half to pull away from the Hurricanes.
Miami’s Lynn Kidd was a standout performer despite the loss, tallying 16 points and 15 rebounds. A.J. Staton-McCray added 13 points, and Brandon Johnson contributed 12 for the Hurricanes (6-19, 2-12 ACC).
After Miami took an early 8-7 lead near the 13-minute mark of the first half, they maintained control until Delalic’s buzzer-beating three-pointer gave Pitt a 32-30 advantage at halftime. Leggett was instrumental during this stretch, scoring 15 points along with five rebounds and three assists in the first half.
Midway through the second half, Pitt’s defense tightened, holding Miami without a field goal during a decisive 10-2 run that spanned five minutes, pushing the Panthers lead to 53-43. Corhen’s jumper extended the lead to 57-45 with about seven minutes remaining.
Miami made a late push as Jalil Bethea hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 68-61 with just a minute left, but Pittsburgh remained poised, sinking six consecutive free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
In the game’s closing moments, Cummings and Miami’s Divine Ugochukwu were assessed technical fouls with 24 seconds remaining, adding a brief moment of tension to an otherwise controlled finish by the Panthers.
The victory was a crucial one for Pittsburgh, who will look to build on this momentum as they host Syracuse on Tuesday. Miami, meanwhile, saw their recent improvement, winning two of their last three games after an 0-11 start to the ACC season, come to a halt.
Pittsburgh’s balanced attack and stifling defense in key stretches proved to be the difference-maker, showcasing their potential as they push for a stronger finish to the ACC campaign.
