Box Score (PDF)

PITTSBURGH – Jeremy Jeffers (Wilson, N.C./Greenfield School) scored 16 points and Shawn Dyer (Marion, Ohio/Marion Harding) added 13 points and six assists as IUP opened its exhibition season with a 72-58 loss at Pitt in men's basketball action on Halloween night at the Petersen Events Center.
 
The Crimson Hawks played competitively all night, outshooting Pitt 49 percent to 39 percent, and drained eight three-pointers compared to the Panthers' six. IUP also tallied 17 assists on its 23 made field goals, including six each from Dyer and Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter).
 
IUP used efficient passing and good looks in the opening minutes to grab an early 7-3 lead over the Panthers, getting buckets by Jeffers, Brandon Norfleet (Virginia Beach, Va. /Landstown) and Daddy Ugbede (San Mateo, Calif./Serra).
 
Pitt used the three-pointer to get back in the game, with Chris Jones and Michael Young knocking down a total of three in a 2:10 span to take a 14-9 lead nearing the half's midpoint.
 
Back-to-back threes by Jeffers, followed with a dunk on a nice pass from Dyer tied the game at 22-22 with 5:09 to go, but Pitt ended the half on a 13-5 run to take a 35-27 lead into the break. During the run the Panthers earned three trips to the foul line, getting six points of their points from the charity stripe.
 
Pitt extended its lead to 12 at 41-29 early in the half and soon built its lead to 47-33 on a three by Cameron Johnson. Dyer answered with a triple of his own on the other end, and shots by Norfleet and Cornell Yarde II (Reading, Pa. /Schuylkill Valley) kept the Panthers from trying to run away with the game midway through the half.
 
Chance also made some shots down the stretch, including a step-back midrange jumper and a three from the top of the arc. Tevin Hanner (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill) also made a couple of nice buckets in the second half, highlighted by an alley-oop off a nice lob from Chance.
 
The Crimson Hawks shot 52 percent from the floor in the second half alone, converting 12-of-23 shots from the field to score 31 points. They ended the night, however, with 16 turnovers – including 10 in the first half – and were outrebounded by Pitt 39-27. The Panthers also took advantage of IUP's 22 fouls, going 20-of-26 while the Crimson Hawks finished just 4-of-7.
 
Young led Pitt with 24 points on 8-of-12 from the field, and grabbed seven rebounds in 24 minutes. He was the only player to score in double-figures for the Panthers.
 
Chance had seven points, six rebounds and those six assists in 39 minutes on the floor. He added a pair of steals defensively. Jeffers finished 5-of-9 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from three-point range. Dyer was also 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc.
 
Hanner scored seven points and had two blocks in 19 minutes off the bench. Yarde finished with five points and three rebounds and Norfleet scored eight points on 4-of-8 shooting, but played in just 17 minutes due to foul trouble.
 
Of Pitt's nine total exhibition games since 2010, IUP has played in three of five of the Panthers' closest contests, including a 15-point loss (69-54) in 2012 and a 17-point loss (73-56) in 2010.
 
Tonight's game was also the return of IUP head coach Joe Lombardi, who was an assistant at Pitt from 2003-06 and helped guide the Panthers to a 76-22 overall record, three straight NCAA tournament appearances, and a Big East regular season title.
 
The Crimson Hawks have one final exhibition game before the start of the regular season, as they travel to Tampa to face the University of South Florida next Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.