PITTSBURGH — Jaland Lowe was a standout performer, contributing 20 points to his team’s victory, while teammates Damian Dunn and Ishmael Leggett added 19 points each. The University of Pittsburgh secured an impressive win against Murray State, pulling ahead decisively in the latter stages of the second half with a final score of 83-68 on Friday evening.

Cameron Cohren also made a significant impact for Pitt, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds before ultimately fouling out of the game. The team improved to a 2-0 record this season with this latest victory.

For Murray State, Trence Harcum led with 15 points, while reserve players Aiden Applewhite and Kylen Milton contributed 11 points each. Additionally, Kyeron Lindsay and Jacobi Wood chipped in 10 points each to the efforts of the Racers, who now stand at 1-1 on the season.

A pivotal moment came when Guillermo Diaz Graham sank two free throws with 8:51 left in the game, allowing Pitt to take a 64-63 lead, which they would not relinquish. Dunn extended the lead further with a crucial 3-pointer at the 4:31 mark, putting the Panthers ahead 77-65.

Pitt established their largest lead of the first half at 19-9, marking a strong start with 12:41 remaining before halftime. This victory continued a favorable trend for the Panthers, as they had previously defeated Murray State in their only other encounter, a decisive 70-49 win back in December 2003.