No. 17 Pittsburgh can't overcome bad 1st half, falls 62-59 to No. 19 Syracuse in Big East



The fourth-seeded Panthers used a 10-3 run to get within 58-57 with 30 seconds left but Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams didn't miss from the free throw line to keep the fifth-seeded Orange in front to the end.

"Obviously, we're disappointed in the loss, but I'm proud of how our guys fought back in the second half," Panthers coach Jamie Dixon said. "We obviously dug a hole for ourselves in the first half, but I could see how hard we played and the effort.

"Simply put, the first half we didn't play our defense. That dug the hole for us. That's why we were where we're at and why we weren't able to make up the 13-point deficit."

James Southerland and Carter-Williams kept Syracuse's run at one more title going at Madison Square Garden.







"We were prepared to come into this tournament and win," Pittsburgh's Tray Woodall said. "I was disappointed, but I guess now we've got to focus on the NCAA tournament. As you saw in the second half, we played our style of basketball, as Coach said. ... We'll dwell on it for a few hours tonight, and then we have to move on."






Talib Zanna had a chance to tie the game, but missed the free throw that would have completed a three-point play.





"It obviously came down to last possessions and plays," Dixon said. "I think it was a game that pretty much every one of ours has been like against Syracuse over the years. We've been here 14 years. This game isn't too much different. I think this is why it's been the best league, and games like this typify that."

Pittsburgh had won nine of the last 11 meetings with Syracuse.