Hinson scores 21, Austin has 20 in Pitt's 83-70 victory over Louisville

Jan 6, 2024, 02:44 pm

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- — Blake Hinson scored 21 points, Zack Austin added 20, and Pittsburgh defeated Louisville 83-70 on Saturday.

Freshman Carlton Carrington added 16 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Panthers (10-5, 1/3 ACC).

Mike James made five 3-pointers and led Louisville with 23 points. Skyy Clark and Curtis Williams scored 11 each and Kaleb Glenn added 10 for the Cardinals (5-9, 0-3).

A 3-pointer by Jorge Diaz Graham put Pitt up by 12 points five minutes into the second half. A couple of minutes later, Hinson made three free throws for the second time in the game, giving the Panthers a 55-41 lead.

James then hit three 3-pointers for nine consecutive Louisville points, but the Cardinals only got within 57-50. Pittsburgh scored the next 10 points and the Panthers led by at least 13 points for the remainder.

The Panthers made five 3-pointers in the first 10 minutes of the game, racing out to a 23-14 lead. Hinson was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all three from the line to give Pittsburgh a 12-point lead at the 8-minute mark. James hit a layup and added a 3-pointer to get Louisville within three points, but Diaz Graham made five free throws in the final 2-plus minutes to keep the Panthers ahead 40-34 at the break.

This was the Panthers' first win this season when shooting a lesser percentage than their opponent. Louisville shot 51% to Pitt's 46%. Pittsburgh made 14 of 23 two-point attempts but was 12 of 34 from 3-point distance.

Pitt's win continues a shift in the all-time series between the two teams. The Panthers have won four straight after previously losing 17 of 18 dating back to 2011. Louisville leads the series 21-10, including 12-3 at home.

Louisville announced on Thursday that freshman center Dennis Evans will not be medically cleared to compete for the Cardinals moving forward although he remains a member of the program at this time.

Evans, a 7-foot-1 freshman from Riverside, California, hadn’t suited up for a game since a Nov. 29 win against Bellarmine. The 18-year-old was sidelined due to what the team described only as a shoulder injury, the Louisville Courier Journal reported.

Pittsburgh will host No. 14 Duke on Tuesday. Louisville plays at Miami on Wednesday.

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