Xavier Johnson scored 12 points and Jared Wilson-Frame recorded his second career double-double as the Pittsburgh Panthers dominated visiting Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday in an easy 78-43 win over the Hawks.
Johnson, Pitt's freshman guard and leading scorer (16.8 points per game entering the contest) went 4 of 6 from the field and has now reached double figures in each of his 11 collegiate games.
Wilson-Frame scored 11 points and 11 rebounds to go with three assists as the Panthers (8-3) snapped a two-game losing streak.
Terrell Brown chipped in with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting. He also made both free-throw attempts.
The Panthers' bench outscored the Hawks, 41-1. Pitt controlled the glass with a 51-29 rebounding advantage. And if that was not enough domination, the Panthers shot 46.7 percent from the field and held the Hawks to 30.9 percent.
But the Panthers started off sluggish, being held scoreless for nearly the first three minutes. The Hawks (1-10) jumped out to a 5-0 lead with Tyler Jones scoring the first four points of the game and AJ Cheeseman adding a free throw.
It didn't take long for the Panthers to take control. Brown tied the game at 5 on a dunk as part of a 21-3 run over eight minutes.
Up 26-11, the Panthers closed the first half on a 12-6 run to take a 38-17 lead into intermission.
The second-half was much of the same with Pitt scoring the first nine points to open a 47-17 point lead.
Ryan Andino finally broke the dry spell for the Hawks with a long 3 with 16:33 left.
Pitt kept up the pressure and led 71-37 on a free throw by Khameron Davis.
Cheeseman scored 12 points in the second half and finished with 16. Jones also scored 16 for the Hawks. Andino, who came in as Eastern Shore's leading scorer (13.0 points per game) was held to six points on 2 of 10 from the field and 2-for-9 from 3-point range.
--Field Level Media
Maryland - E. Shore | Pittsburgh | |
AJ Cheeseman 16 | Scoring | Xavier Johnson 12 |
Canaan Bartley 3 | Assists | Xavier Johnson 4 |
Montraz Oliver 8 | Rebounds | Jared Wilson-Frame 11 |
AJ Cheeseman 3 | Free Throws Made | Trey McGowens 4 |
Tyler Jones 3 | Steals | Kene Chukwuka 2 |
Dontae Caldwell 1 | Blocks | Terrell Brown 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Maryland - E. Shore | 43 | 30.9 | 3-18 | 6-13 | 7 | 28 | 2 | 6 | 16 |
Pittsburgh | 78 | 46.7 | 9-25 | 13-22 | 15 | 47 | 5 | 11 | 15 |