Dec 1, 2001

Box Score

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (AP) - Pittsburgh beat Savannah St. 87-35 Saturday night, the Panther's largest margin of victory since 1971.

Pittsburgh (6-1) scored the first eight points of the game and led 47-19 by the end of the first half.

Brandin Knight connected on three of four from 3-point range in the first half.

The Panthers made 56.7 percent (17 of 30) of their field-goal attempts in the first half and shot 56.1 percent (32 of 57) for the night.

Savannah St. made just 14 of 53 field-goal attempts (26.4 percent). Toyian Williams led Savannah St. with 10 points.

The last time Pittsburgh won by such a large margin was Dec. 6, 1971 in a 103-48 defeat of Ohio Wesleyan.

All of Knight's 11 points came in the first half, including the first basket of the game, a 3-pointer from the top of the key. He had seven of the Panthers' first 15 points.

Ontario Lett led the Panthers with 14 points. In the second half Donatas Zavackas, Pitt's 6-foot-8 junior forward, hit two consecutive 3-pointers to give Pitt a 53-21 lead with 19 minutes remaining. The Panthers were on top by 40 with 10 minutes left.

Savannah St. is in only its second year in Division I and came into the game averaging just 44.7 points per game.