‘A great feeling’: Pitt outlasts Miss. St. in First Four

DAYTON, Ohio — Pitt ahead Guillermo Diaz Graham was bodily and emotionally spent, as he fell into the embrace of his twin brother, Jorge, close to midcourt at UD Area on Tuesday night time.

The Pitt freshman had logged a season-high 37 minutes rather than injured starter Federiko Federiko. Guillermo was overmatched for a lot of Pitt’s First 4 sport towards Mississippi State and first-team All-SEC ahead Tolu Smith. Mississippi State had dominated inside, recording 18 offensive rebounds and 30 factors within the paint.

Down 60-59 within the closing seconds, Mississippi State went to Smith, however Diaz Graham blocked his shot with 2.7 seconds left. Two extra Bulldogs misses adopted and Pitt survived, fittingly by a single level, 60-59 in a sport with 9 ties and 21 lead adjustments. Neither workforce led by greater than a single possession for a stretch of almost 26 minutes.

The Eleventh-seeded Panthers gained their first NCAA match sport since 2014 and superior within the Midwest area to face No. 6 seed Iowa State on Friday in Greensboro, North Carolina.

“[Jorge] got here to me, he hugged me and all of the feelings I have been feeling throughout the sport — I needed to hold my face straight — however all of the feelings on the finish, once I hugged them, they got here out,” mentioned Diaz Graham, who grew up with Jorge within the Canary Islands of Spain. “It is an incredible feeling.”

Pitt coach Jeff Capel knew throughout Tuesday’s shootaround that Federiko, who made 27 begins however injured his knee in final week’s ACC match towards Georgia Tech, would not be capable to go.

Diaz Graham performed 28 minutes in Pitt’s ACC quarterfinal loss to Duke, scoring a season-high 14 factors. However the problem towards Smith and Mississippi State’s entrance line appeared daunting.

The Bulldogs outrebounded Pitt 27-13 within the first half.

“There have been occasions when he wished to place his head down and he did not be ok with possibly an task or lacking a shot, and people guys stored telling him, ‘Do not try this. We bought your again. We’re with you,’” Capel mentioned. “It is who they have been all 12 months.”

Capel thought the win epitomized a Pitt workforce that struggled early and for a stretch in January, but in addition gained 10 of 12 video games in ACC play getting into March. Guard Nelly Cummings had a number of acrobatic layups whereas working the offense. Second-team All-ACC choice Blake Hinson hit an NBA-range 3-pointer to place Pitt up six factors with 3:08 to play.

Then, after a 7-0 Mississippi State run, first-team All-ACC guard Jamarius Burton hit a soar shot over Smith with 10 seconds left that proved to be the sport winner. Restricted by foul hassle for a lot of the sport, Burton had solely 4 factors earlier than the crucial shot.

“After I had the ball in my fingers the final 30 seconds or so, I simply informed myself I used to be constructed for it,” Burton mentioned. “I simply bought to a spot and let it go, and I had full confidence in myself.”

Pitt had defended Mississippi State properly all sport however wanted no less than one cease, and sure extra, to safe the win. Diaz Graham swatted Smith’s try throughout the baseline, letting out a scream.

“It was all of the vitality popping out of my physique,” he mentioned. “I did a block, I do not even know the way, with my left hand. I often do not use my left hand. And I blocked it, and I knew it was a giant play, so I simply let the vitality exit.”

Mississippi State nonetheless had a last likelihood, however Shakeel Moore’s 3-point try and D.J. Jeffries’ tip each missed, setting off a roar from a Pitt-partisan crowd of 12,453.

“All through the sport, you heard the, ‘Let’s go Pitt’ chants,” Capel mentioned. “After which on the finish, in these final 2.7 seconds, I assumed their vitality helped that ball not go in, the three within the nook after which the tip-in.”

Capel mentioned there’s an opportunity Federiko, who leads Pitt in area objective proportion (.667), blocks (57) and dunks (39), might return Friday towards Iowa State. However after Tuesday’s win, the Panthers are assured they’ll survive with whomever takes the ground.

“We confirmed toughness, resiliency,” Capel mentioned. “We have been who we have been all 12 months, and it wasn’t fairly, nevertheless it was lovely. We simply really feel so grateful, so grateful, and so excited to have the ability to advance and get to Greensboro.”