Feb 13, 2024 By Hank Kurz Jr. 2 min read

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Blake Hinson scored 27 points and made five of Pittsburgh’s 14 3-pointers, and the surging Panthers ended No. 21 Virginia’s nation’s-best 23-game home winning streak, 74-63 on Tuesday night.

Hinson had 18 points after halftime and Jaland Lowe finished with 12 for the Panthers (16-8, 7-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their fourth straight and sixth of seven, continuing their push into NCAA Tournament consideration.

Reece Beekman led Virginia (19-6, 10-4) with 19 points, but the Cavaliers’ normally stout defense couldn’t slow Pittsburgh, which took 32 of its 58 shots from beyond the 3-point line. Virginia’s eight-game winning streak also ended, along with its 48-game string of holding ACC opponents under 70 points at home.

The Panthers trailed 49-47 before Hinson’s 3-pointer sparked a 17-5 run that included two more 3s by Hinson and one by Lowe. Pitt led 64-54 with 6:30 to play and Virginia couldn’t make a dent the rest of the way.

The opening 10 minutes were crisp, with neither team committing a turnover and the Panthers leading 22-18. Virginia used a 16-6 run to take a 31-30 lead, holding Pitt scoreless for 4:20, before the Panthers scored the last five of the half.

Big picture:

Pittsburgh: The Panthers found success against the 15th-ranked 3-point defense in the country. Pitt leads the ACC with an average of 9.13 3s per game and made its ninth 18 seconds into the second half.

Virginia: The Cavaliers, playing as an AP Top 25 team for the first time since Dec. 19 at Memphis, haven’t lasted more than a week in the poll in either of their two prior visits this year. They were No. 24 when they lost 65-41 to Wisconsin in a Florida tournament and No. 22 when they were beaten 77-54 at Memphis. All six of their losses this season have come by double figures.

Up next:

The Panthers return home to face Louisville on Saturday.

Virginia remains at home and faces Wake Forest on Saturday.