BLACKSBURG, Va. — Jaland Lowe led the No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers to a 64-59 victory against Virginia Tech on Saturday, marking the Atlantic Coast Conference’s opening game for both teams.
Lowe, while shooting 6 of 16 from the field, was perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all six attempts, including four crucial free throws in the last 25 seconds. His impressive performance contributed significantly, as he scored 15 of the Panthers’ final 21 points, helping the team recover from a disappointing 33-point loss to Mississippi State earlier in the week.
Alongside Lowe, Ishmael Leggett added 17 points, allowing Pittsburgh, now with an 8-2 record, to secure the win despite shooting only 41.1% throughout the game.
On the other side, Virginia Tech’s top performer was Toibu Lawal, who scored 16 points, while Jaden Schutt contributed 14 points. The Hokies’ struggles continued, now facing six consecutive losses and holding a record of 3-6.
The Hokies’ offensive woes were evident in the final moments of the game, as they managed to score only three points in the last 5:19 and missed their last seven shot attempts. Despite leading the game throughout the second half, Pittsburgh changed the course after Lowe’s driving layup with 50 seconds remaining, granting them a 60-59 lead.
Key Takeaways: Pittsburgh demonstrated resilience despite being on the back foot for much of the match, managing to turn their fortunes around when it mattered most. Conversely, Virginia Tech performed admirably but ultimately succumbed to their shooting struggles in crucial moments, cementing their unfortunate streak.
A pivotal moment occurred when Virginia Tech was up 56-51 with under four minutes left, but Lowe drained a three-pointer with just over three minutes to go, narrowing the gap to 56-54. He then scored 11 of the last 13 points for the Panthers, leading them to victory.
An important statistic to note is that Virginia Tech committed 17 turnovers during the game, which resulted in 17 points for Pittsburgh. This marks the sixth game in which the Hokies have turned the ball over at least 15 times this season.
Looking ahead, Pittsburgh will host Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday, while Virginia Tech will welcome North Carolina A&T for their upcoming matchup on Thursday.