‘An excellent sensation’: Pitt lasts longer than Miss

DAYTON, Ohio– Pitt forward Guillermo Diaz Graham was physically and emotionally spent, as he fell under the welcome of his twin brother, Jorge, near midcourt at UD Arena on Tuesday night.The Pitt freshman had actually logged a season-high 37 minutes in place of hurt starter Federiko Federiko. Guillermo was overmatched for much of Pitt’s First 4 game versus Mississippi State and first-team All-SEC forward Tolu Smith. Mississippi State had actually dominated inside, tape-recording 18 offending rebounds and 30 points in the paint.Down 60-59 in the

closing seconds, Mississippi State went to Smith, but Diaz Graham obstructed his shot with 2.7 seconds left. Two more Bulldogs misses out on followed and Pitt survived, fittingly by a single point, 60-59 in a game with 9 ties and 21 lead changes. Neither group led by more than a single belongings for a stretch of nearly 26 minutes.The 11th-seeded Panthers won their first NCAA tournament game given that 2014 and advanced in the Midwest area to deal with No. 6 seed Iowa State on Friday in Greensboro, North Carolina.” [Jorge] concerned me, he hugged me and all the

emotions I’ve been feeling during the game– I had to keep my face straight– but all the feelings at the end, when I hugged them, they came out,”stated Diaz Graham, who matured with Jorge in the Canary Islands of Spain.” It’s a fantastic feeling. “Pitt coach Jeff Capel understood during Tuesday’s shootaround that Federiko, who made 27 starts however hurt his knee in recently’s ACC tournament versus Georgia Tech, wouldn’t have the ability to go.Diaz Graham played 28 minutes in Pitt’s ACC quarterfinal loss to Duke, scoring a season-high 14 points. But the obstacle against Smith and Mississippi State’s cutting edge appeared daunting.The Bulldogs outrebounded Pitt 27-13 in the very first half.”There were times when he wanted to put his head down and he didn’t feel great

about perhaps a task or missing out on a shot, and those men kept telling him,’Do not do that. We got your back. We’re with you,'” Capel said.”It’s who they’ve been all year. “Editor’s Picks 2 Related Capel believed the win exemplified a Pitt team that had a hard time early and for a stretch in January, but likewise won 10 of 12 games in ACC play getting in March. Guard Nelly Cummings had a number of acrobatic layups while running the offense. Second-team All-ACC choice Blake Hinson struck an NBA-range 3-pointer to put Pitt up six points with 3:08 to play.Then, after a 7-0 Mississippi State run, first-team All-ACC guard Jamarius Burton hit a jump shot over Smith with 10 seconds left that proved to be the game winner. Limited by foul trouble for much of the game, Burton had only 4 points before the vital shot.”When I had the ball in my hands the last 30 seconds or two, I simply informed myself I was developed for it, “Burton said.”I just got to an area and let it go, and I had total self-confidence in myself.”Pitt had safeguarded Mississippi State well all game however needed at

least one stop, and likely more, to protect the win. Diaz Graham knocked Smith’s attempt across the baseline, blurting a scream.” It was all the energy coming out of my body,”he stated.”

I did a block, I do not even know how, with my left hand. I usually do not use my left hand. And I blocked it, and I understood it was a big play, so I just let the energy go out.”Mississippi State still had a last chance

, but Shakeel Moore’s 3-point effort and D.J. Jeffries ‘idea both missed, setting off a holler from a Pitt-partisan crowd of 12,453. “Throughout the game, you heard the, ‘Let’s go Pitt’chants, “Capel said.” And after that at the end, in

those last 2.7 seconds, I believed their energy helped that ball not enter, the 3 in the corner and after that the tip-in.”Capel stated there’s an opportunity Federiko, who leads Pitt in basket percentage(.667), blocks(57 )and dunks( 39 ), could return Friday against Iowa State. But after Tuesday’s win, the Panthers are confident they can endure with whomever takes the floor.”

We showed strength, resiliency, “Capel said.”We were who we have actually been all year, and it wasn’t pretty, but it was stunning. We simply feel so grateful, so grateful, therefore thrilled to be able to advance and get to Greensboro.”