Pitt cruises past North Florida 82-56 to close out non-conference play

Pitt closes out non-conference play with a big game from Federiko

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH- The Pittsburgh Panthers defeated the University of North Florida Ospreys tonight by a score of 82-56, as the Panthers wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a record of 8-4.

Headlining the contest was Frederiko Frederiko, who posted a career-high 22 points on 10-14 FG along with 8 rebounds. Greg Elliott also had a stellar game, finishing with his first career double-double, scoring 11 and adding 10 boards. Also in double figures was Jamarius Burton (13 PTS) and Blake Hinson (18 PTS).

With 21 total assists in the contest, it was a synergistic performance for a Pitt offense that played one of its more complete games of the young season.

First Half:

The Panthers got off to a strong start defensively, holding the Ospreys to two makes on their first ten attempts from the field. While everyone held their own, the frontcourt deserves a mention for the strong interior defense, especially on switches in midrange areas.

The Panthers forced eight turnovers, scoring 11 points off of them, a big advantage over UNF’s three points in the same category.

Coach Capel has discussed lapses in communication before on the defensive end, so the improvement here seems to have paid dividends.

Federiko Federiko and Jorge Diaz Graham each notched blocks early on in the contest, as well as contributing offensively. Diaz Graham hit a three to give the Panthers a 15-4 lead.

The Panthers shot the ball a middling 45%, going 13-29 from the field. It was another strong half from behind the arc, as Pitt went 4-9, good for 44% from deep. Nelly Cummings had a great half serving as a facilitator, dropping five dimes.

Federiko was the leading scorer for the Panthers, scoring 10 on 4-7 shooting from the field and 2-2 FT. Between his strong defensive efforts and his scoring down low, Federiko continues to impress in his increasing minutes, today filling in for John Hugley who did not play on account of unspecified personal reasons.

Second Half:

Pitt started the second half on fire. Blake Hinson had 8 points by the time the first media timeout rolled around, spearheading a 14-5 run by the Panthers through the first four minutes of the half.

The Panthers dominated inside, scoring 16 of their first 20 points from within the paint. Federiko scored 10 of those himself, and with 13:30 left on the clock, he had found himself with 22 points on the night.

Despite it working for them in the first half, Pitt essentially abandoned the three, taking only one through the first ten minutes of the second half. It was a necessary adjustment, not because it wasn’t working, but because the Ospreys had no answer for the Panthers down low.

Takeaways:

• Pitt looked good from beginning to end of this contest, which should be expected against an opponent like North Florida, but hasn’t been the case against other similar non-conference opponents this season.
• Frederiko Federiko should be getting more of the minutes typically reserved for John Hugley at this point in the season. He continues to provide more value on the offensive end as Hugley shakes off the rust and as such makes the team better overall.
• Nelly Cummings, and Pitt as a whole, are better when Cummings is a pass-first guard. Cummings commands the offense so well when he finds passes to the interior, and the connection between him and Federiko is evident.

What’s Next:

Pitt will travel to Syracuse, New York to continue conference play on 12/20 against the Orange.