Pitt, taking pride in defense, aims to stifle Murray State

Pitt dropped 96 points in its season opener, but perhaps most promising was that the Panthers' defense picked up where it left off last season.

The Panthers will aim to put the clamps on another opponent Friday when Murray State comes to Pittsburgh.

Pitt (1-0) sailed to a 96-56 win over Radford to kick off the season Monday, with all five starters and reserve Brandin Cummings scoring in double figures. Jaland Lowe racked up 21 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals without committing a turnover, and Ishmael Leggett provided 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Pitt outshot Radford 55.4 percent to 31 percent and didn't allow the Highlanders to make a field goal for the last 7:04 of the first half. It was part of a full 40-minute effort; Radford also missed 14 of 15 field-goal attempts to end the game.

"That's huge. Like I said, it's a tone-setter," Lowe said. "We want to carry it on for the rest of the season, but that right there is what we like to focus on, finishing halves out strong. I'm proud of my guys that we did that."

Pitt ranked fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season in scoring defense (67.6 points per game), and staying alert at that end of the floor will be a key to living up to -- or exceeding -- its seventh-place projection in the ACC preseason poll.

Murray State (1-0) could present a tougher challenge after it racked up triple-digit points in its season opener, albeit against an NAIA-level opponent. The Racers shot 61.5 percent from the floor and 56 percent from 3-point range in their 113-37 blowout of visiting Bethel on opening night.

Coach Steve Prohm was pleased with how the Racers didn't let up.

"I thought the biggest thing I took away from the game -- forget the score, forget we made threes, we shared the ball really well, all those positive things -- I thought we sustained really, really good effort for basically 35 to 38 minutes (Monday night)," Prohm said. "And that was really good. And now obviously things ramp up on Friday."

Kylen Milton, a transfer from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, led Murray State's five double-figure scorers with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting. The Racers assisted on 25 of their 40 made baskets.

--Field Level Media