Florida State Vs Pittsburgh after Pitt’s late rally falls short on senior night
florida state vs pittsburgh turned into a one-possession finish Wednesday night, with Florida State escaping Pitt, 75-74, after the Panthers’ comeback from a 24-point deficit came up inches short at the end.
What Happens When Florida State Vs Pittsburgh becomes a one-possession game in the final seconds?
Pitt had one last surge after a Florida State turnover with 15 seconds left. Damarco Minor hit a 3-pointer to cut the score to 73-71. With 5. 9 seconds remaining, Florida State’s Robert McCray made two free throws to extend the lead, but Minor answered again, drilling another 3-pointer with 1. 3 seconds left to make it 75-74.
That was the Panthers’ final push. Florida State inbounded the ball successfully to close out the win, ending Pitt’s attempt to complete a comeback that had been building throughout the second half.
What If Pitt’s rally had been complete after a 24-point hole?
The night began with ceremony and urgency. Before Pitt’s final home game of the season at Petersen Events Center, three seniors — Damarco Minor, Cam Corhen and Barry Dunning Jr. — were honored. Corhen was noted as the only one of the three who has played multiple seasons (two) in a Panthers uniform.
On the floor, Pitt faced a steep climb early. Florida State led 6-2 less than two minutes in, with Pitt’s lone bucket coming on a mid-range jumper by Omari Witherspoon. Barry Dunning Jr. then hit a 3-pointer to make it 6-5 at the 17: 47 mark, but Florida State continued to create separation. By the under-16 media timeout, the Seminoles had pushed ahead 13-7 after Chauncey Wiggins hit a 3-pointer. Florida State stretched the margin to 18-8 with 14: 06 left in the first half on an AJ Swinton 3-pointer.
When Thomas Bassong blocked Minor and finished a fastbreak dunk, Pitt coach Jeff Capel called timeout with his team down 20-8 at the 12: 54 mark. Cam Corhen answered with a dunk coming out of the break, and Pitt trailed 20-12 at the under-12 media timeout.
Pitt went to halftime down 16 and later trailed by as many as 24 early in the second half. From there, the Panthers chipped away until Florida State held only a five-point lead with 5: 07 remaining. Down the stretch, Florida State’s offense dried up, but Pitt’s did too: the score stayed 68-63 for nearly five minutes. Wiggins hit a late 3-pointer with 52 seconds left that appeared to steady Florida State, but Pitt still had one more run in the final seconds before the inbound sealed it.
What Happens Next for the ACC race after Florida State Vs Pittsburgh ends 75-74?
The result landed with both teams tracking different postseason pressures. Florida State moved to 16-14 overall and 9-8 in ACC play, while Pitt fell to 11-19 overall and 4-13 in the conference.
For Pitt, the loss also spoiled a standout performance from Dunning, who posted a season-high 26 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double. Corhen added 14 points and six rebounds, and Nojus Indrusaitis scored 17. Pitt shot 41. 3% (26 of 63) and made nine 3-pointers on 27 attempts, with Dunning hitting five of those threes.
Florida State entered the matchup with ACC standing implications of its own. The Seminoles were described as being in a three-way tie in the conference standings for the final bye in the ACC tournament. Pitt, meanwhile, was described as tied with Notre Dame for the last spot in the conference tournament, holding position through a tie-breaker from an earlier win over the Irish.
In a game that swung from a commanding Florida State lead to a frantic final possession, the final margin underscored how little separated the teams late — even after Pitt spent most of the night chasing. For Florida State, the ability to survive the final sequence mattered as much as the early cushion. For Pitt, the closing rally showed the path back into the game, but also the cost of the early deficit in florida state vs pittsburgh.
