Pitt blows out Binghamton, snapping 3-game skid

Winning one game is an insufficient remedy for Pitt, given the team’s repeated early struggles against a wide spectrum of competition.

While it will take far more than a single victory to get the Panthers back on the rails, doing so has to start somewhere.

With that in mind, the Panthers welcomed the Binghamton Bearcats to Petersen Events Center on Wednesday for their final home game of 2025.

Pitt started fast, shot better than 70% in the first half and drilled 16 total 3-pointers to snap its 3-game skid and win for the first time since Nov. 28, 103-63.

The Panthers set season-highs in points, 3-pointers made, field goals made (36) and tied in total assists (20).

“It’s good to win again,” coach Jeff Capel said. “But probably more importantly to me, I like the way we played, especially offensively. I thought we did a great job of sharing the ball, which led to us making a lot of shots.

“We made a lot of 3s and had 20 assists on 36 field goals. (That) was huge.”

Barry Dunning Jr. led the Panthers with 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting, Brandin Cummings dropped 17, Nojus Indrusaitis had 16 and Cam Corhen scored 14.

As a team, Pitt shot 62.1% (36 of 58) on the night, compared to Binghamton’s 43.9%.

After falling behind by 12 points early, the Bearcats came within a basket with roughly six minutes left before halftime.

But from there, the Panthers outscored them 26-6, taking a comfortable lead into halftime and never looking back.

“We were able to get some stops. We were able to get in transition. (Binghamton) went to a zone, and I thought we did a good job of attacking the zone,” Capel said. “We really shared the basketball, and it became contagious. Guys passed up good shots for great shots, and we were making shots.”

The Panthers (6-6) got off to the kind of start that largely has eluded them this season, going up 8-0 about three minutes in, with Dunning scoring five.

At the 15:13 mark, Pitt’s lead increased to 13-2, courtesy of a Corhen layup and a 3-pointer by Indrusaitis.

Several turnovers plagued Pitt heading into the under-12 media timeout, and, combined with some long-range shooting by the Bearcats, its lead was down to 19-14 at the 11:04 mark.

Cummings then drilled back-to-back 3s for the Panthers, putting them ahead 28-17 with 8:45 to play in the first half.

Dunning added another 3-pointer shortly thereafter, but Binghamton (3-9) kept hitting buckets to stay alive. With 6:02 to go in the first half, Pitt’s lead was 31-25.

Moments later, Binghamton was within three points, as Jake Blackburn hit a 3-pointer. But with 4:14 to go, a jumper from Cummings and a 3 by Indrusaitis had Pitt back up 36-28.

A barrage of 3-pointers then allowed the Panthers to get way ahead.

One by Damarco Minor sent Pitt into the under-4 media timeout in front 39-28.

Coming out of the break, Dunning struck again from deep on two straight possessions, making it 45-28 Pitt with a bit over two minutes left in the opening half.

Cummings hit Pitt’s ninth 3-pointer of the first half next, with buckets by Indrusaitis and Roman Siulepa creating a 52-30 Panthers advantage with under a minute on the clock.

At halftime, behind a 70.4% (19 of 27) make rate from the floor, Pitt led 57-34.

Pitt dominated the opening minutes of the second half and, with 17:54 remaining, was up 62-34.

A baseline drive to the rim by Siulepa was good at the 17:31 mark, making the lead 30 (64-34).

At the under-16 media timeout, the Panthers led by 33, 67-34.

With 11:23 to go, the Panthers remained ahead by a large margin, 73-39.

A spinning layup by Omari Witherspoon and ensuing free throw made it 85-51 Panthers with under seven minutes left.

Witherspoon, who finished with 11 points off the bench, later put the Panthers up by 40 with a 3-pointer at the 4:45 mark.

Binghamton was led by Demetrius Lilley with 13 points.

“Just being connected is really what we’re going to take from this game and onto the next games,” Dunning said.