1. Scoring droughts are killers: Pitt lost its sixth consecutive ACC game in large part because it went so long between baskets.
The Panthers led the Orange, 22-19, but went the final 4:27 of the first half and 1:02 of the second before scoring again. Syracuse used an 8-0 run to take control. Pitt went dry again in the second half, watching the Orange turn a 37-35 edge at 9:46 into a 51-37 lead with 2:15 left.
This has been a trend for Pitt in ACC play: Miami used a 13-1 run to pull away in the opener; Louisville had a 17-0 run that turned a 12-11 deficit into a 28-12 lead; Virginia Tech used a pair of 6-0 runs in the second half; Georgia Tech jumped out to a 13-0 lead and stretched it to 21-1 before Pitt made a field goal. The Panthers failed to score in the first 5:13 of the second half, then went a span of 6:48 between baskets in the second half.
2. Pitt made it too easy: The Panthers continued another troubling trend by giving up too many points in the paint and off turnovers.
Syracuse outscored Pitt, 28-12, inside the paint, and 16-6 off 18 turnovers. In ACC play, the Panthers are allowing an average of 31.4 points in the paint (to 18.4) and 17 points off turnovers (to 6.6).
Getting beat inside is understandable, given that Pitt's post players are young and inexperienced. But the sloppy play on offense allowing breakaway baskets is killing the Panthers.
3. Pitt has a shooter: Parker Stewart set career highs with 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting, including 7 of 13 from 3-point range, against Syracuse. That's an impressive feat for a freshman inside the cavernous Carrier Dome.
Stewart is a dead-eye outside threat who should be fun to watch, perhaps Pitt's best since Ronald Ramon. But Stewart has to be careful not to become a one-trick pony. His only field goal inside the arc was an uncontested layup in the final seconds.
4. The Panthers miss Ryan Luther (and Cameron Johnson): Luther, the 6-foot-8 senior forward from Hampton, was the team's leading scorer (12.7 points) and rebounder (10.1) through the first 10 games. As evidenced by the afrorementioned statistics, his post presence and leadership are sorely missed on this young team.
Luther has been shut down for the season with a foot injury, preserving the possibility that he can redshirt and return next season. But Pitt has a hole in the middle without him, and opponents are exposing it every game.
While it's easy to get down on Kevin Stallings and this young team, which has lost its ACC games by an average of 16.6, remember that the Panthers also lost their top perimeter player.
The 6-8 Johnson, an Our Lady of the Sacred Heart alum who graduated after three years and transferred to North Carolina, scored 21 points in the Tar Heels' 87-79 victory over Clemson Tuesday night. He's averaging 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds.
Not only would Pitt be a different team with Luther and Johnson, but having a pair of WPIAL products in lead roles would have piqued more interest in the Panthers.
5. Do you miss Jamie Dixon now?: The former Pitt coach had figured out how to beat Jim Boeheim's trademark zone defense, and had a 15-6 record against the Orange, including three victories in 2015-16.
Stallings is 1-2 against Syracuse.
At this point, Pitt might be missing Dixon.
Syracuse certainly doesn't.
Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at kgorman@tribweb.com or via Twitter @KGorman_Trib.
