Field Level Media
Nov 27, 2021
Keondre Kennedy scored 19 points as visiting UMBC beat Pittsburgh 87-77 Saturday afternoon for its first regular season win over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent in school history.
UMBC (4-2) led for the final 30-plus minutes and improved to 2-19 all-time against current ACC teams. Its other win over an ACC team was in 2018 when it knocked off Virginia to become the No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Kennedy made 7 of 10 shots and hit all four of his 3-point tries as the Retrievers shot 48.1 percent and hit 14 of 31 3-point tries after entering the game as the America East's top scoring offense.
L.J. Owens added 18, including a 3-pointer with 6:42 remaining that put UMBC ahead 77-65 and another 3-pointer with 98 seconds left that made it 83-71 and sealed the win. Szymon Wojcik chipped in 13 and Darnell Rogers contributed 10 as the duo were a combined 11 of 12 from the line on a day when UMBC shot 85.2 percent (23-of-27) update.
John Hughley scored 21 points for the Panthers (2-4), who topped 63 points for the first time, shot 46.3 percent. Despite Hughley's 8-of-10 showing to go along with seven rebounds, Pitt fell to 13-1 all-time against current America East opponents.
Femi Odukale added 19 and seven rebounds while Mouhamadou Gueye contributed 14, including four of Pitt's 11 3-pointers.
Wojcik's turnaround jumper staked UMBC to a 61-46 lead nearly three minutes into the second half. Pitt countered with an 11-1 run to get within 62-57 on Hugley's 3-point play with 13:33 remaining but Kennedy's 3-pointer and layup capped a 9-0 run to extend UMBC's lead to 71-57 with 9:40 left.
In the first half Kennedy and Owens combined for 22 points as UMBC shot 58.6 percent, hit 11 3-pointers and held a 55-44 lead by halftime. r.
After a 3-pointer by Pitt's Onyebuchi Ezeakudomade it a 3-point game with 9:24 remaining, UMBC ripped off nine straight points for a 33-21 lead on a 3-pointer by Nathan Johnson. The Retrievers took their first 15-point lead at 44-29 on two free throws by Rogers with 4 1/2 minutes left before Pitt slightly chipped away.
--Field Level Media