Pittsburgh hits buzzer beater 3-pointer vs. Ohio State to continue strong start to season
By SAM LANCE
Pittsburgh senior forward Zach Austin may have the shot of Feast Week. His buzzer beater 3-pointer allowed the Panthers to top the Ohio State Buckeyes in overtime, 91-90 on Friday at the Schottenstein Center.
ZACH AUSTIN WINS IT AT THE BUZZER FOR @Pitt_MBB pic.twitter.com/80CiqCLey1
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 29, 2024
Head coach Jeff Capel and the Panthers are now 7-1 on the season and have wins over Ohio State, LSU, West Virginia and Murray State. Pitt’s lone loss comes to undefeated Wisconsin. On Kenpom, the Panthers are up to No. 12 in the country, the second-best ranking of an ACC team besides Duke.
Pitt turned a 12-point deficit into a 61-57 advantage by unleashing an 18-2 run over a stretch of 6:47 in the second half, taking the lead with 10:53 to play. From there, the two teams battled down the stretch. Pitt forced overtime when sophomore guard Jaland Lowe tied the game at 77 with a tough baseline scoop shot in the final seconds of regulation. In the overtime frame, Pitt outscored Ohio State 14-13, including Austin’s heroics at the end. Ohio State didn’t make a field goal the last 4:16 of the game.
Pitt was led by Lowe with a career-high 28 points. He was joined by three other players in double figures, including senior guard Ishmael Leggett (21 points), Austin (16 points), and freshman forward Papa Amadou Kante (12 points).
Kante was a critical piece in the win and came off the bench to spark the big Pitt run.
“He’s gotten better and better,” Capel said postgame. “He shows up with an unbelievable attitude every day and works his butt off. He was ready for his moment. He was ready for his opportunity.”
Ohio State falls to 5-2 on the season. They’ll play Maryland on the road next on Dec. 4 to open Big 10 play. Pitt will travel to Mississippi State for an ACC/SEC challenge match on the road.
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