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Pittsburgh 79, Maryland 59

[January 07, 2014] PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh 79, Maryland 59: Lamar Patterson scored 19 points while Durand Johnson added a career-high 17 as the host Panthers secured their fourth straight victory.

Talib Zanna tallied 13 points and nine rebounds for Pittsburgh (14-1, 2-0 ACC), which has won 12 straight at home. The Panthers' 10th-ranked scoring defense held Maryland (10-6, 2-1) to its second-lowest point total of the season.

Seth Allen enjoyed his finest effort for the Terrapins since returning four games ago from a broken left foot with 18 points. Evan Smotrycz chipped in with 14 points and was the only other player to finish in double figures for Maryland, which saw its best start in league play since the 2002-03 season halted.

Neither team enjoyed more than a four-point lead until Johnson hit a jumper on Pittsburgh's last possession to cap a first half-ending 11-2 surge and give the Panthers a 36-30 advantage at the break. Maryland moved within three on a pair of free throws by Allen about 2½ minutes into the second half, but Michael Young's basket a little more than three minutes later helped Pittsburgh stretch its advantage to double figures for the first time.

Allen drained three 3-pointers and scored 11 points after intermission to keep the Terrapins within striking distance, but Maryland shot 28.5 percent in the second half and could get no closer than eight points thereafter. Following a 3-pointer by Smotrycz with just over five minutes left, Pittsburgh did not allow another field goal and put the game away by scoring 13 of the last 16 points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: All but one of Pittsburgh's 15 opponents have been held to 70 points or fewer and nine have scored 60 points or fewer. … Maryland suffered a loss for the first time since Allen's return. … The Panthers improved to 190-22 all-time at the Petersen Events Center.


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