PITTSBURGH — In a thrilling encounter, Jaland Lowe showcased an impressive performance with 27 points and eight assists, while Cameron Corhen contributed a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Pittsburgh Panthers rallied to defeat California by a score of 86-74 on Wednesday evening.

With this victory, Pitt improved its record to 11-2 overall and maintains a perfect 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Panthers have now extended their impressive home winning streak to 14 games at the Petersen Events Center, marking their longest stretch of success at home since the 2013-2014 season.

California initially held a significant lead, going ahead by 16 points with just over four minutes left in the first half. However, they faltered towards the end, missing their final six shots of the half, which allowed Pitt to close the gap and enter halftime trailing just 42-38.

As the second half commenced, Lowe scored consecutive baskets, pushing the Panthers to a 55-48 advantage with 15:02 remaining. Although Pittsburgh struggled to find the net, going without a field goal until Guillermo Diaz Graham hit a corner three-pointer at the 7:54 mark, they managed to maintain their lead by sinking 11 of 13 free throws during a five-shot drought.

For the final eight minutes, Pitt held a comfortable margin of at least six points. On the other hand, California faced difficulties, shooting only 1 for 7 from beyond the arc in the second half.

Adding to Pitt’s success, freshman Brandin Cummings made his first start and scored 15 points. On the California side, Jeremiah Wilkinson was the standout performer, leading the team with 21 points. Teammate Andrej Stojakovic contributed 19 points, primarily from the free-throw line, while Rytis Petraitis added 11 points. Stojakovic’s presence in the starting lineup was necessitated by Joshua Ola-Joseph’s absence due to illness.

Both teams will return to the court this Saturday, with California set to face Clemson and Pittsburgh hosting Stanford.