Pitt Basketball’s Biggest Opponent Right Now? The Clock.
For Pitt basketball this season, the final score hasn’t just been a matter of winning or losing-it’s been a confirmation of something fans have often seen coming well before the final buzzer. In too many of the Panthers’ 15 losses, there’s been a moment-sometimes early, sometimes painfully early-when it becomes clear: this one’s slipping away.
That moment came again on Saturday against SMU, and if you blinked, you might’ve missed the window when Pitt was still in it. The Panthers actually held a lead late in the first half and trailed by just two at the break. At that point, it felt like they might be able to hang with the visiting Mustangs.
But then came the second half-and with it, the unraveling.
SMU, who had struggled early (just 2-of-13 from the field to open the game), caught fire to close the first half, knocking down 11-of-16 in the final 12 minutes. Pitt, meanwhile, went ice cold, finishing the half on a 1-of-9 skid.
That cold streak didn’t thaw after halftime. SMU came out and hit eight straight shots.
Pitt countered with three missed threes and a pair of jumpers that didn’t fall. By the time Cam Corhen threw down a dunk at the 16:35 mark, the Panthers were already staring at a double-digit deficit.
Twenty seconds later, SMU hit a three off an inbounds play, and just like that, the game was effectively out of reach.
From that point on, Pitt was playing out the string. Sixteen minutes left on the clock, but the outcome already decided.
And as tough as that is, it’s not even the earliest Pitt has found itself in that position lately.
Just four days earlier at Virginia, it took even less time for things to spiral. The Panthers actually opened with a 7-3 lead, but then came a seven-minute scoring drought that allowed the Cavaliers to go on a 12-0 run. By the time Pitt finally got back on the board, Virginia had full control of the game, dictating pace and flow with ease.
That early 15-7 deficit might not seem insurmountable on paper, but Pitt never really threatened again. They made back-to-back field goals just twice the entire game-once in the opening minutes and once late in the first half, when they were already trailing by double digits. The offense simply couldn’t get anything going, and Virginia’s defense made sure it stayed that way.
It was a similar story at Clemson before that. Pitt was within two points early, but a five-minute scoring drought cracked the game wide open. By halftime, they were down 17.
There have been glimmers of competitiveness-late pushes against Boston College and NC State, for example-but they’ve been the exception, not the rule. The home loss to Louisville on Jan.
17? That was over before it even started.
The Cardinals jumped out to a 13-0 lead before Pitt made a single basket. Syracuse pulled the same trick earlier in the month, giving up the first bucket and then ripping off a 13-0 run to take early control.
In each of these games, there’s been a moment when the comeback hopes vanish. And lately, those moments have been coming earlier and earlier.
That’s the real concern. Not just that Pitt is losing, but how quickly these games are getting away from them.
In some cases, by halftime, the writing is already on the wall. Against Syracuse, Louisville, Virginia, and Clemson, the game was more or less decided before the teams even hit the locker room.
The core issue? Pitt just doesn’t have the offensive firepower to dig out of holes.
When they fall behind by 10 or more, the odds of a comeback shrink dramatically. They’ve trailed by double digits in 14 of their 24 games this season-and they’re 1-13 in those situations.
The lone win came in overtime against Wake Forest, a game where they trailed by 12 in the first half but chipped away before pulling it out in the extra period.
Outside of that, a 10-point deficit has basically been a death sentence.
Offensively, Pitt ranks near the bottom of the ACC in scoring. They’re averaging under 70 points per game in conference play and have been held to 69 or fewer in seven of their 11 ACC matchups. They’re 0-7 in those games.
It’s not just about shooting percentage or turnovers-it’s about the inability to generate consistent offense when it matters most. And when you can’t put points on the board, even small deficits feel like mountains.
Right now, Pitt’s biggest challenge isn’t the opponent on the schedule. It’s the clock. Because if they don’t find a way to stay competitive past the first 20 minutes, the second half is going to keep feeling like a formality.