Balanced Pitt pulls away from Youngstown State
PITTSBURGH – The scoring efforts of Kendrick Perry weren’t nearly enough to lead Youngstown State over Pittsburgh, as Pitt countered Perry’s 28 points with five players scoring in double-figures to notch a 91-73 victory on Saturday.
Lamar Patterson led Pitt (10-0) with 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting and added a game-high four assists. Under the basket, Talib Zanna posted his 10th career double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds while Derrick Randall chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The five Panthers scoring in double-figures marked the fourth time Pitt accomplished the feat this season. Head coach Jamie Dixon attributed part of the balanced scoring to Pitt’s 22 total assists Saturday.
“I thought we really passed it well,” Dixon said. “The rebound numbers are obviously in our favor in a big way, so that was great to see.”
Behind the efforts of Zanna and Randall, the Panthers outrebounded the Penguins by a massive 47-21 margin. Freshman Michael Young also pulled down seven boards next to his 10 points.
“Our goal is plus-20 every game on the rebounds,” Young said. “When you have that goal every game, you set that mindset, it doesn’t matter who your opponent is.”
Bobby Hain led the Penguins with six rebounds. Youngstown St. head coach Jerry Slocum credited Pitt’s rebounding as the “difference” in the win.
“We couldn’t handle their strength and physicality,” Slocum said. “That’s a team that just manhandled us down there.”
On the opposite bench, Dixon was confident his larger and more physical team would gain the upper hand in the rebounding column.
“I thought we should beat ’em,” Dixon said. “I don’t think I anticipated that much, but I felt we would beat them and should beat them on the glass.”
Perry scored the Penguins’ first seven points of the game and kept Youngstown St. (7-5) close through the first half. But Pitt opened its 43-32 halftime lead to 18 points with a 7-0 run to start the second half.
Kamren Belin added 13 points as the only other Penguin to score in double-figures.
“Overall, I think I did alright,” Perry said. “(Playing Pitt is) a great challenge for us. Pitt is a very good team, very well-coached team, got some really good talent.”