Jaland Lowe, Pitt overpower Radford in opener
Jaland Lowe scored a game-high 21 points and had six assists to help lead the Pitt Panthers to a 96-56 win over the visiting Radford Highlanders on Monday in the season opener for both teams.
Ishmael Leggett added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers. Cam Corhen chipped in 12 points, Brandin Cummings and Damian Dunn each scored 11, and Guillermo Diaz Graham added 10.
For Radford, Brandon Maclin, Zion Walker and TJ NeSmith each scored nine points, with Maclin recording a team-high eight rebounds.
Holding an 18-point halftime advantage, Pittsburgh saw its lead balloon to 63-33 after a 18-6 start to the second half. Finishing the run were layups on three consecutive possessions by Corhen, Lowe and Leggett.
After Leggett's 3-pointer extended the Panthers' edge to 68-35 with 14:07 remaining, Radford strung together a 12-2 run - capped with 3-pointers from Maclin and Chace Davis - to trim the deficit to 70-47 at the 11:28 mark.
The Panthers coasted the rest of the way, taking an 82-52 lead on Leggett's layup with 5:21 left.
In the first half, the Panthers jumped out to a 17-10 lead thanks to a 6-0 run, stamped with Cummings' layup at the 11:32 mark.
After a pair of NeSmith free throws cut the Highlanders' deficit to 28-24, Pittsburgh finished the half on a 17-3 surge, which ended with back-to-back 3-pointers from Cummings and Lowe.
Leading 45-27 at the half, Pittsburgh was led by Lowe's 12, while NeSmith paced Radford with seven.
