Takeaways | Dominance from Pitt basketball’s frontcourt helped overcome a slow start
The Panthers secured a 74-59 victory over Youngstown State on the opening night of the 2025 season. Although the win wasn’t flawless, Pitt leveraged its frontcourt strength to pull ahead.
Strong Frontcourt Performance
Pitt capitalized on its size advantage, scoring 18 points from second-chance opportunities and adopting a physical style of play to achieve results. Senior forward Cameron Corhen stood out as a key veteran leader, playing 35 minutes and leading the team with 23 points and 12 rebounds.
Corhen’s steady presence provided stability for the Panthers amid an initially disjointed offense.
Redshirt sophomore Papa Amadou Kante also contributed significantly, grabbing 10 rebounds in his 35 minutes on the floor. Kante demonstrated strong footwork against agile Youngstown State players and proved capable of guarding any position, enhancing Pitt’s defensive versatility.
Contributions from First-Year Players
First-year guard Omari Witherspoon and first-year forward Roman Siulepa showed cautious play in their first regular-season appearance but still made notable contributions. Witherspoon sank a difficult mid-range jumper, and Siulepa recorded a highlight-reel block. Both players committed two turnovers each.
Playing major minutes immediately is challenging, especially in a conference as competitive as the ACC.
Despite early struggles, the team's resilience and frontcourt dominance paved the way for their successful season opener.
Author’s summary: Pitt’s strong frontcourt presence and veteran leadership overcame early offensive struggles, setting a gritty tone in their season-opening win.