Pitt loses most of its 20-point lead, but escapes with 84-82 victory against Syracuse

On the surface, there was nothing cute about Pitt’s 84-82 victory against Syracuse on Tuesday night.

It was thrilling, intense in the final minutes and nearly devastating for a Pitt team that almost lost a 20-point lead in the second half.

But cute?

That’s how Blake Hinson described one postgame scene involving 6-foot-11 freshman Jorge Diaz Graham in Pitt’s locker room inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

“I’m not sure how he feels about me telling the public this,” Hinson said after the game on KDKA-FM, “but (when) I left the locker room, he was in tears.

“I (said), `What is going on, Jorge?’

“(He said), `I’m excited.’

Said Hinson, who was Pitt’s leading scorer with 25 points and 13 rebounds: “That’s the cutest thing I might have ever seen in my life.”

The Panthers were feeling good about themselves after improving to 9-4 (2-0 in the ACC, both road games) and beating Syracuse for the fourth time in the past five tries. Pitt is 8-1 after a 1-3 start this season.

Diaz Graham was one of only six Pitt players who made significant contributions. He finished with nine points and five rebounds in 18 minutes, but he was 3 for 4 from the foul line in the second half and added one each of an assist, block and steal.

Employing unselfish offense (20 assists on 28 field goals), accurate long-range shooting (13 of 32 from beyond the 3-point arc) and solid defense, Pitt held a comfortable lead for much of the night.

With Nelly Cummings hitting six 3s among his 22-point total, the Panthers were leading, 72-52, with 10:45 to play.

“We identified some areas we tried to exploit in the (Syracuse’s 2-3) zone and our guys really bought into it,” said staff member Jake Presutti, who coordinates Pitt’s scouting efforts. “We got the ball into the high post and moved it.”

But 16 turnovers — 10 in the second half — ruined what had been smooth flow on offense. Pitt didn’t hit a field goal in the final 6:23.

When Syracuse’s Joseph Girard III hit a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left, Pitt looked up and saw its lead cut to 83-82. Syracuse hit only 6 of 24 3-point shots, but Girard made three in the second half.

“(Girard), goodness gracious, he lit up in the end. Those shots were unbelievable,” Hinson said. “Credit to him. We have to do a better job of playing defense.”

After Girard’s 3-pointer, Pitt’s Jamarius Burton committed an offensive foul, giving the Orange (8-5, 1-1) a chance to steal the victory.

That’s when Hinson blended his head with his athleticism to make a steal near the baseline.

“I had (Syracuse’s Maliq) Brown,” he said. “I knew they probably weren’t going to go to him for the last bucket. So, I kind of had my eye elsewhere.

“I happened to see a fight going on between Jorge and Edwards (Jesse, Syracuse’s 6-11 big man).”

With Edwards under control, Hinson continued to survey the situation.

“They telegraphed it, if I’m being honest,” he said. “I just started inching that way and (freshman Judah Mintz), actually, threw it and it went right in my hands.”

Hinson secured the basketball, was fouled and made one of two free throws to set the final margin.

Syracuse’s last chance was a desperation shot by Mintz with three seconds left, but it never touched iron and Pitt escaped with the victory. Mintz, who committed to Pitt out of high school last year, led the Orange with 24 points.

“I can’t even explain how I feel right now,” Hinson said. “We felt super, super, super, super free out there. I was making pretty decent plays in the middle of the zone all night.”

Pitt played its second consecutive game without center John Hugley, who was with the team but not in uniform. Still, Pitt had a 44-35 edge in rebounding while Federiko Federiko collected seven points and five rebounds before fouling out with 5:44 left.

“You have to fill big shoes,” Hinson said of replacing Hugley, who was Pitt’s best player last season. “No complaints. We held on. That’s what this is about.”