Box Score

PITTSBURGH – Newcomer Mathis Keita (Thionville, France/Insep) scored a game-high 17 points to go along with seven rebounds as the IUP men's basketball team opened its exhibition season with a 69-54 loss at Pitt on Friday night at the Petersen Events Center.

The Crimson Hawks scored 38 second half points and outshot Pitt 51.2 percent to 44.6 percent for the game, keeping the game close throughout.

Anthony Wells (Cleveland, OH/Shaker Heights) had the first points of the game with a three from the corner as he helped IUP get out to a 9-5 lead seven minutes into a sluggish first half. Jumpers by Marcel Souberbielle (Montevideo, Uruguay/Uruguayan American School) helped the Crimson Hawks surprise early.

IUP forced the Panthers into a lot of bad shots in the first half as Pitt shot just 9-of-25 from the floor and only 1-of-6 from the foul line.

Even after Pitt went on a 7-0 run to take a 12-9 lead, the Crimson Hawks came back to tie the game at 12-12 and again at 14-14 on conversions by Keita and Blake Vedder (Chesterland, OH/West Geauga). The largest Pitt lead in the first half came with 1:26 to go as a three-pointer by Tray Woodall put the Panthers on top 21-14. A jumper by Wells with 1:06 to go closed the scoring for the half as IUP went into the locker room down 21-16.

IUP cut its deficit to 21-20 on back to back layups by Josh Wiegand (Whiteford, MD/John Carroll) and Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) to open the second and later trailed by just three at 28-25 on a three by Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter).

Pitt then responded with a 14-2 run over the next 3:32 to jump out on top 42-27 with 11:48 left in the game.

The Panthers later extended their lead to 18 at 51-33 after a fast break dunk by Dante Taylor but IUP came back with a 10-3 run, jumpstarted by a three-point play by Wells. Keita also converted a layup and three foul shots while Souberbielle made a pair from the line during the run.

However, Pitt would keep the Crimson Hawks at bay down the stretch, leading by as many as 19 during the last 19 minutes to seal the win.

The Crimson Hawks were extremely hot from the floor in the second half, converting 14-of-19 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Pitt played tough defensively, forcing IUP into 24 turnovers while committing just nine.

Woodall led Pitt with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, adding seven assists and five steals in 28 minutes. Taylor added 10 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.

Keita, a transfer from Gonzaga, finished 6-of-8 from the floor, making both of his three-pointers and all three of his foul shots. He added four assists and a steal in 36 minutes. Wells added 11 points, going 4-of-9 from the field with six assists and two steals while Souberbielle had nine points and four rebounds.

The Crimson Hawks wrap up their exhibition season next Friday as they travel to College Park, Md. to take on the Maryland Terrapins. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.