PITTSBURGH – Ishmael Leggett shone brightly with 21 points, leading a balanced scoring attack as the University of Pittsburgh overcame Gardner-Webb with a final score of 83-64 on Monday night.

Leggett’s performance was nearly flawless, hitting 7 of his 9 attempts from the floor, including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, while also converting all four of his free throw attempts. Additionally, he contributed six rebounds and four assists to his impressive stat line.

Damian Dunn and Cameron Corhen each added 12 points to support the scoring effort for the Panthers, while both Guillermo Diaz Graham and Zack Austin chipped in with 10 points apiece, helping Pitt improve to a perfect 3-0 for the season.

Gardner-Webb, now at a record of 1-2, managed to stay within striking distance, trailing by just 11 points with 8.5 minutes left on the clock. However, the Panthers swiftly put the game out of reach, launching a decisive 19-3 run over a span of just over four minutes, stretching the lead to 76-49.

Pitt’s strong start was powered by Dunn, who scored five points, and Leggett, who added four during a 14-2 surge to kick off the game. The Runnin’ Bulldogs momentarily closed the gap, narrowing the score to 21-13. Yet, the Panthers responded with a commanding 13-0 run, propelling them to a comfortable 38-23 halftime advantage.

For Gardner-Webb, Darryl Simmons II was the standout scorer, putting up 12 points, while teammates Anthony Selden and Jamaine Mann each contributed 10 points.