Dec. 17, 2008
Final Stats
DeJuan Blair scored 21 points and wrestled down 16 rebounds to lead #3 Pitt to a 79-66 win over Siena Wednesday at the Petersen Center. Clarence Jackson and Edwin Ubiles led Siena with 12 points each.
Siena (5-4) trailed 37-29 at halftime after a Kyle Downey 3-pointer beat the first half buzzer. Downey scored 11 points and the Saints owned a 34-13 edge in bench scoring.
Pitt (11-0) began the second half with a 11-0 run and Siena got no closer than 10 the rest of the way.
The run echoed an 13-0 spurt at the start of the first half that gave the Panthers early control, 15-4.
Blair scored 15 of his points in the first half and ended with eight offensive rebounds after entering the game leading the nation in that category.
Siena competed at every other spot on the floor despite no points from MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Kenny Hasbrouck and just 12 from its starting front line of Alex Franklin and Ryan Rossiter.
Both teams protected the basketball. Pitt finished with just seven turnovers against Siena's pressure defense and the Saints turned it over just 10 times.
Neither team shot well, especially from outside. Pitt finished 3-15 from 3-point range. Siena made 6-23 long range shots and Jackson alone finished 0-8 from distance.
After Pitt led 65-46, Siena used a 14-5 run to close within 10 and force a Pitt timeout.
Siena returns to action Tuesday at home against Buffalo.
