Panthers Outmaneuvered by Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center
The Pittsburgh Panthers faced a challenging contest against the Louisville Cardinals, concluding with a score of 58-77. The Panthers' season record now stands at 0-0, while the Cardinals improved to 18-0.
The game at the KFC Yum! Center saw the Panthers start with an uphill battle, trailing in the first quarter with just nine points to Louisville's nineteen. Despite a valiant effort in the second quarter where they racked up twenty points, it was not enough to close the gap significantly. The third quarter witnessed a surge from Pittsburgh as they added nineteen points to their tally but still lagged behind as Louisville dominated with twenty-six points. In the final period, both teams' scoring slowed down; however, Pittsburgh could only muster ten additional points against Louisville's fifteen.
Pittsburgh's performance was marked by solid free throw shooting accuracy of eighty-seven percent and commendable second-chance efforts that yielded seventeen points. They also managed to secure thirty-four rebounds and twelve assists throughout the game. However, turnovers proved costly for Pittsburgh as they gave away eighteen possessions which translated into ten points for Louisville off those turnovers.
On defense, Pittsburgh managed six steals and three blocks but struggled to contain Louisville's offense which boasted forty-eight percent field goal shooting and fifty-five percent success from two-point range. The Cardinals capitalized on their opportunities scoring twenty-four points off turnovers thanks to their twelve steals.
Louisville also outperformed in assists with eighteen compared to twelve from Pittsburgh and edged them out in total rebounds by one (35-34). Their more efficient ball handling was evident through fewer turnovers (12) and a higher assist-turnover ratio of 1.5.
As fans look ahead, they can mark their calendars for an exciting matchup when the Panthers host Duke Blue Devils at Petersen Events Center on February 1st at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. This encounter promises another opportunity for fans to rally behind their team on home turf in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (15261). Followers can catch all live action broadcasted from Petersen Events Center as these two teams face off next month.