The Syracuse Orange Men's Basketball welcomed in their longtime northeast rival, the Pittsburgh Panthers, to Dome for an early afternoon bout with the Orange at 9-10 overall, 3-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Panthers at 12-6 overall, 3-4 in ACC play.
Pitt would have the first lead of the day, 2-0, on a layup by junior forward Cameron Corhen, at the 19:42 mark.
Syracuse would hold onto the lead until the 11-minute mark when graduate guard Damian Dunn knocked down both of his freebies to put Pitt ahead 19-18. Those free throws were at the tail end of a 7-0 run by the Panthers.
Orange freshman forward Petar Majstorovic would line up a three from the right wing and the nylon would grace its presence to give the lead back to Syracuse, 21-19.
With 3:18 left in the first half, Syracuse graduate center Eddie Lampkin, Jr., already had 10 rebounds.
At the break, the Orange led 33-32.
Just as he did in the first half, Corhen would have the first points by either team in the second half, this play also inside, with a dunk that gave the Panthers a 34-33 lead.
Within the first seven minutes and some change of the second half, there were three lead changes and three ties.
At the 4:20 mark, off of a missed free throw, Lampkin got his 20th rebound of the day.
With 2:48 to go, senior guard Lucas Taylor got Syracuse within one possession, down 67-64, with two makes at the charity stripe.
However, redshirt-senior forward Zack Austin would respond immediately with a three from the right wing, moving Pitt back up by two possessions, 70-64.
With 31.6 seconds remaining, junior guard J.J. Starling would make both of his free throws to bring the Orange back within one possession, down 71-68.
A three from junior forward Chris Bell with 17.7 seconds to go brought Syracuse even closer, down 73-71.
Taylor would foul Panthers' sophomore guard Jaland Lowe, taking 1.7 seconds off of the game clock.
Lowe made both, giving Pittsburgh a 75-71 lead with 16 seconds to play.
Majstorovic would go inside for a contested shot at the basket, getting Syracuse within two, down 75-73.
Taylor would foul out, committing his fifth personal to save some time, sending Austin to the line, who would make both freebies, giving the Panthers a 77-73 victory.
As a result of the loss, the Orange move to 9-11 overall and 3-6 in the ACC, while the Panthers rise to 13-6 overall and are now .500 in the ACC, at 4-4.
Pittsburgh ended the game with five players in double-figures, including four of their five starters. For starters, Lowe rose above all players on both teams with 22 points, followed by senior guard Ishmael Leggett with 16, Corhen with 12, and Austin with 10. Dunn had 10 points off of the bench for the Panthers.
Syracuse had five players close out the game in double-figures in scoring, Starling leading the way with 16 points, followed by Taylor with 12 and Lampkin with 10 for the Orange starters.
Lampkin finished with a double-double, totaling 10 points and 20 rebounds.
Off of the 'Cuse bench, Bell had 12 and Majstorovic had 10.
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