Jaland Lowe had a strong all-around game as Pitt improved to 6-0 with a 74-63 win over LSU on Friday afternoon at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
Lowe finished with a game-high 22 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists for the Panthers, who have won their first six games of a season for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign. Lowe had a triple-double — 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists — against VMI Monday.
Ishmael Leggett chipped in 21 points and Cameron Corhen supplied 14, helping Pitt outshoot the Tigers 44.4 percent to 37.3 percent overall.
Vyctorius Miller and Jalen Reed recorded 14 points apiece for LSU (4-1), with Reed also snatching seven boards. Cam Carter contributed 11 points.
The Panthers advance to the Sunday championship game to oppose Wisconsin, which beat UCF 86-70 later Friday. The Tigers will face the Knights in the consolation game on Sunday.
Pitt took control in the first four-plus minutes of the second half, opening the period on a 13-0 run to build a 40-28 lead. The Tigers were held scoreless following the break until Carter converted a layup with 13:13 to go.
It was still a 12-point game after Zack Austin hit a pair of free throws with 12:50 remaining, but LSU then rallied.
Corey Chest, Reed and Jordan Sears each had a bucket down low for the Tigers during an 8-1 spurt that made it 43-38. However, Lowe stemmed the tide, answering with back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Panthers up 49-38 with 9:31 left.
Miller did everything he could to keep LSU in contention, scoring eight points in a span of 1 minute, 23 seconds, with his four-point play getting the Tigers within 56-52 with 6:03 to play.
But Pitt never let LSU get the upper hand, and it led by at least six for the final 5:05 of the contest.
The Tigers had a 28-27 edge at intermission after ending the first half on an 8-2 run. LSU overcame a quick start by the Panthers, who raced out to a 12-6 advantage and led by as many as eight in the first 20 minutes of action.
–Field Level Media
