SHARON, Pa. -- After three straight games of struggling in parts against mid-major schools, Monday's performance was a welcomed sight for Pitt basketball.
Entering Monday's ACC/Big Ten Challenge against Northwestern, Pitt ranked 11th in the ACC in scoring at 71.3 points per game. The Wildcats boasted the 4th-ranked scoring defense in all of college basketball at 51.7 points allowed per game.
Judging solely by Monday's performances from either team, you would not have believed that. Pitt reached the 52-point threshold on a Nelly Cummings 3-pointer with 15:28 left in the game, after all, as the Panthers's guards could not be stopped on the offensive end.
The Panthers had their best offensive showing of the young season against the KenPom Top 50 Wildcats on Monday, sinking 14 of 22 (63.6%) of their 3-pointers and getting a massive jolt from their guards in a 87-58 routing of the Wildcats inside of the Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill.
It was, simply put, just one of those nights, as Pitt gained its fourth win in a row and first against a Power Six opponent this season.
The three transfer guards to join Pitt this season -- Cummings, Greg Elliott, and Blake Hinson -- combined for 57 points, nearly outscoring Northwestern themselves. Cummings posted 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting, Elliott had 18 (on 5 of 8 shooting), and Hinson paced Pitt with 22 points and eight rebounds.
John Hugley IV started, played 14 minutes, and was held scoreless for Pitt. The Panthers shot 48.1% from the field overall (26-for-54).
This was also as complete of a performance we have seen from Pitt this season, at least since the season opener against Tennessee Martin.
Pitt entered the day averaging 13.4 assists and 14.7 turnovers per game. On Monday, that ratio was at 22:10. Pitt recorded 22 assists on 26 made field goals. The Panthers also converted on 21 of 27 free throws.
Nike Sibande contributed 11 points in 24 minutes off the bench for Pitt.
Chase Audige led Northwestern scorers with 14 points. He fouled out with 6:06 to play.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Box score
• Top 25 scores
• Schedule
• ACC standings
• Statistics
THE SCHEDULE
• Pitt remains on the road for two games, including in its ACC opener against NC State on Friday. Tip-off from Raleigh, N.C. is at 7 p.m., and it will be televised on the ACC Network.
THE CONTENT
• You can listen to the latest episode of the H2P Podcast below.
